Chapter 6: Reflection
I'm not sure how long I stood there looking at her grave. Darkness had fallen around me and the air had chilled as the sun slipped away. I shivered but didn't notice the cold creeping over my skin. I hadn't been here in months - since before China at least. I thought I'd come to think but when I looked on her grave, when I placed the flowers in the empty vase, I felt my throat close and tears sting my eyes. If she were alive she would hold me and stroke my hair and tell me how to fix everything. That's what mothers were for. But she wasn't alive...
Todd would tell me how to fix things....if Todd was talking to me. If Todd wasn't part of what needed fixing I could curl up against him and he would stroke my hair and would listen to me. But Todd was avoiding me. I don't think he is actually mad at me exactly. At some point in the last year the line had been drawn firmly - between friends and more than friends - and I'd crossed the line. If I'd done it out of actual interest it would have been different but I was wounded by Erik and had used Todd as a soft landing. So things were awkward....very awkward...between us.
I was still considering the situation with Todd when I heard the leaves crunching and shuffling behind me. Someone was approaching but they stopped a few feet away. I registered the noise and presence but didn't turn to see who it was. "Gin?" Erik's voice was low as if he was afraid to disturb the dead. "I went by your house... Your dad told me you were here." he said quietly.
I didn't reply or even turn to look at him. The wind was picking up and blew my hair gently across my face. I could smell the threat of rain in the air. A storm was brewing overhead and I knew I should go home with Erik. We were supposed to be working on another report for that project tonight anyway. But I didn't move, even as the goosebumps from the chilly night air crept up my arms. Erik - Erik was another problem I wished my mom could solve for me. I knew I shouldn't be upset with him for seeing someone else over the summer...we were broken up. But he came back. Why did he come back if he was moving on? Why couldn't I move on? Maybe that was the real problem...
I heard Erik shuffle his feet behind me and stir restlessly. He was waiting for me patiently, not trying to disturb my reflections or drag me away before the storm caught us outside. The wind caught my hair again and the impending storm smelt stronger - a familiar smell I'd once loved so much.
"I could smell the rain that night too." I said aloud, breaking the silence between us.
If Erik looked confused or was about to question me, I didn't look to see or give him a chance to say anything. "It was eight years ago - almost nine now..." I continued absently running a finger along the edge of her stone. "My dad was working late - he did that a lot back then. Todd was over and my mom wanted to go out. Todd and I suggested ice cream." I turned to look at him. "Have I told you this already?" I asked considering. I couldn't remember telling Erik the details. He merely shook his head.
I nodded. "We went out - Todd came with us. We had ice cream and laughed together the whole time. Todd and I told my mom about something..." my brow furrowed as I tried to remember the story we'd told her that night. "This kid Michael had released the class pets that day. Our teacher spent half the morning scurrying around trying to catch them." I said with a sad laugh. "Anyway, there was a storm brewing as we got back in the car. Todd and I sat in the back together laughing about something or other. We were waiting at a red light and I saw my mom watching us with the rear view mirror. She was so happy that night. The light changed and we started going forward. This big truck ran the red light, we were in the middle of the intersection." I looked up at Erik, having looked down at the ground at some point. "He was tired. That's what he said in court later - he was tired." I shook my head. I turned back toward the grave, away from Erik's sad look.
"Anyway, I heard the sound of screeching breaks and the grinding of metal on metal as the truck hit the front of our car." I started walking, slowly pacing to the other side of my mom's grave. "The impact was on the driver's side, front part of the car. His truck pushed us onto the curb and into a pole. Todd was knocked unconscious but otherwise was fine. When the movement stopped, the silence was....I've never felt a silence that thick since then. It was like the world stopped for just a moment. And then I heard shouting and talking from outside. We were stuck between the truck and the pole in such a way that no one could get the doors open. I heard my mom groaning from the front seat and tried to get to her. I couldn't get my seat belt off so all I could do was reach for her.... It took about ten minutes for the police and ambulance to get there but it felt like an hour. My mom was silent when they pulled her out of the car. I watched from the back seat as the paramedics rushed her into the ambulance. That's when the rain really started falling that night. It wasn't long before they were pulling Todd and I out." I looked over at Erik. "She was dead before they even got to us. I didn't realize it then of course...." I trailed off feeling
Erik walked over to me and put his arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. He didn't say anything and just held me tightly.
The rain started to fall then. It started as just a few stray drops but as we stood their holding each other, the rain started to fall harder. We both broke the hold at the same time and without speaking started running for cover. By the time we got back to my house, we were soaked to the core. "I don't know why I told you all that." I said shaking the rain from my hair. "It's just too much - you and Todd and...." I shivered from the cold and wet. "I can't - I can't....if you want to hate me, I'm not gonna fight that anymore."
"Hate you?" Erik asked surprised. He clutched my arms and either side and looked into my eyes. "I don't hate you Gin - I couldn't if I tried." he said sternly.
I must have looked unconvinced because he just shook his head. "Neither of us have handle this very well have we?" he asked smiling sadly. "I promise you, I could never hate you - no matter what happens between us. Now what's up between you and Todd?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Nothing you can fix." I said weakly. "I'm sorry Erik - for how I handled things before. I thought....." I chuckled pitifully. "I don't know what I thought, I thought it would be better if you...left."
"You were right - it's taken awhile for me to acknowledge that but I am glad I went back." Erik said.
I grimaced slightly, assuming he was glad because he had some great summer with the mystery girl he'd told me about.
He saw my grimace and read my thoughts from my face as if I were open book. "Not because of that. Because of my mom and my brother. I wouldn't have wanted to miss that or imagine her being alone for everything that happened." he paused and looked around uncomfortably. "I'm also glad I came back Gin. But I am sorry I was such a jerk. Seeing you was harder than I expected."
I leaned against his shoulder feeling spent. There was so much to say but I was afraid to ruin this moment and what felt like a fragile bridge between us. Erik put his arms around me and rubbed my back and stroked my hair just like I'd imagined my mom or Todd doing to comfort me.
"Friends then?" I asked, still leaning into him.
He pulled back from me and I was terrified that we were about to lapse back into our awkward interactions but he gave me a small smile and stroked my cheek. "Friends." I smiled back at him.
End Chapter
Chapter 3: Failure to Communicate
Two weeks. Two weeks and not a word from Erik. I'd passed him in the hall a number of times and usually he didn't spare me a look. Of course I hadn't said anything to him either but it wasn't that I wasn't talking to him....he wasn't talking to me.
After two weeks of silence, I passed he and Timothy talking in the hall. He looked my way and was smiling. My heart fluttered with hope for a moment before I realized the smile wasn't for me. He was laughing at something Timothy had said. In fact, when his eye caught mine I noticed the smile falter. With a sigh I trudged into the science classroom - I was the first to arrive - and practically threw my backpack on the table.
"You should talk to him." Veronica voice said from beside me.
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I whirled around to face her. "Where did you come from?" I said looking around. I know when I walked in she wasn't here and I hadn't heard anyone walk in. And yet half the class had filtered in as well.
"I've been watching you brood for over a minute now." Veronica said. "And on that note, I repeat - you should talk to him. Break the ice..."
"I'm not not talking to him...he's not talking to me." I said for what felt like the hundredth time. Or maybe I'd just said it to myself a lot.
Veronica rolled her eyes at me. "Right. I'm just saying, talk to him. Ask him about his baby brother...what's his name?"
"Gavin." I said without having to think about it.
"Right. It'll break the ice and avoid the topic of the break up..." Veronica said pulling out her notebook and homework from the night before as the bell rang.
When I came out of the lunch line, Veronica and Timothy were already sitting with Erik. I stopped in my tracks and considered what to do. I was ready to go sit with them when I chickened out and dumped my full tray in the trash and walked out the side doors of the cafeteria. Todd caught up with me quickly. "Ginny!" he called as he came up beside me and slowed his pace.
"If you're gonna tell me to talk to him, you can just skip the lecture." I said looking straight ahead.
"Wasn't going to say anything." Todd said with a small smile. "But now that you mention it...you should."
"Hey, did you pick a car?" I asked changing the subject to something I knew he'd want to talk about. "Or did your dad change his mind?"
"What? Oh no he hasn't changed his mind." Todd said. "And no I haven't picked one."
"Why, again, is your dad buying you a car?" I asked already knowing the answer. We'd talked about it over the summer but it was a topic about Todd and not me.
"He thinks it will make up for the divorce or something." Todd said with a shrug. The fact that his parents were getting a divorce barely phased him. The fact is they'd been fighting for years so Todd wasn't really surprised.
"Is he attempting to buy Meghan's forgiveness as well?" I asked referring to Todd's little sister.
"He bought her a horse." Todd said with a smirk.
I stopped in my tracks and grabbed his arm. "A horse!?" I sputtered. "Has Meghan ever even ridden a horse?!"
Todd shrugged again. "No. He's paying for the stabling as well - anyway if you ever wanna go riding let me know. And don't think I didn't notice your artful subject change there Ginny." he said with a wink. "Erik....talk to him. You'll feel better when you do." he said as the bell rang from the school. We both hurried back inside.
The last class of the way was always the longest for me. I sat next to Erik awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact as Ms. Moore talked about Life Studies. "Life Studies" was supposed to talk about life after high school - real world lessons like jobs, budgeting, relationships, etc.
"Today I will tell you about our semester long project. See as this class is only one semester, this project will make up a significant portion or your class grade so I suggest you take it seriously." Ms. Moore said as soon as class started. "You will do this project with a partner and once your partner is assigned today, there will be no switching under any circumstances so don't bother asking." she said walking to the first girl in the room with a basket holding several slips of paper. Ms. Moore noted something from the slip and then walked to the next girl. She skipped all the boys. It became clear that this was the "assignment" of partners. Inside the basket were the names of all the boys in the class and the girls got to randomly draw.
I saw Veronica look Alexander Roberts' direction and smile, showing him her slip. Petronia turned to look at Todd after apparently drawing his name. They smiled at each other shyly. I was one of the last girls to draw a name from the basket. I pulled the slip out and mentally crossed my fingers for a good partner. 'Erik Langston' was typed neatly across my paper slip. My eyes went wide as I stared at it for several seconds. I heard a familiar tap tap tap and realized I was taking too long to show my slip to Ms. Moore. I showed the slip to her and glanced over at Erik trying to look neutral about it. Ms. Moore wrote down his name next to mine and returned to the front of the class.
"Okay, now that you all have your partners, I will tell you the project. Congratulations, you and your partner are married - at least as far as this assignment goes. Over the course of the semester, you will all be given scenarios which require you and your partner to communicate, work together, and attempt to resolve the problem. Each of you will be expected to turn in reports on the scenario and the resolution. Your responses and manner of handling things will dictate the other scenarios you receive through out the semester so I suggest you put effort into each report as a "couple."" she paused and passed back papers containing our first scenario - the same for everyone. "This project, as a whole, will count as a third of your grade in this class. So work together on it and take it seriously. Now open your books to page 54..." I glanced over at Erik once more as I leaned down to get my book. He caught me looking at him but I couldn't read his expression.
The first report for the project was due on Monday, so I lingered after class to try to talk to Erik. Many others seemed to have the same idea as all the newly "married" couples were chatting. Erik saw me waiting and looked at me expectantly. "So...um..." I opened feeling lame. I looked at my feet. "We should probably..." I held up the sheet of paper with the first assignment.
Veronica walked over dragging Alex behind her. I wondered, briefly, what Tessa (Alex's girlfriend) would think of this assignment. "We're going to the library to work on this, you guys coming?" she asked including Todd and Petronia in the question. I looked over at Erik who shrugged but nodded. We all left the classroom together. Todd and Petronia were chatting happily, Veronica was trying to chat with Alex who looked a little uncomfortable and a cloud of silence loomed over Erik and I.
The others broke off once we got to the library to do their own thing leaving Erik and I standing awkwardly together. We walked back to the relationship books and were browsing the titles and not speaking. "Look Erik..." I started to say when his cell phone started buzzing on vibrate. He reached for it and shrugged as form of apology for the interruption.
I sighed and took a book from the shelf to start reading over things. In truth, a trip to the library wasn't essential to understand the concept of the "end of the honeymoon phase" but it was neutral territory for all the new 'couples'. I sat at a table with Tessa, who had tagged along since Alex usually drove her home - or so she claimed. I think she just wanted to keep an eye on Alex and Veronica.
Erik talked as quietly as he could on his cell, he was getting nasty looks from the librarians. "Val - no!" he hissed into the phone. He looked over to the table and sighed. "Just no. I gotta go." he said clicking the phone shut.
He walked over and coughed to get my attention. "So..." he offered. He watched as I got to my feet looking awkward and looked momentarily distressed. I tried to process it as we walked back to the relationship books to browse. I bit my lip as I browsed the books and tried to figure out what to say to break the ice. "How's Gavin?" I asked suddenly and a little too loudly. I blushed as a librarian hushed me and glared at Erik.
"He's good." Erik said. "Light sleeper..." he added.
I nodded and then floundered on the topic of conversation.
Erik turned back to the stacks and browsed the books for a few minutes. "Look Gin..." he said turning back to look at me. "Why don't we get together later to work on this." he looked around the library. He looked like he was going to say something more but decided against it and started walking down the stacks.
"Erik wait!" I called earning glares from the librarians and curious looks from onlookers.
He didn't turn to look at me as he headed down into the internet cafe section of the library and outside. I followed him away from everyone. "Erik!" I called again from the front steps of the library.
"Look, you do your report, I'll do mine..." he said and turned to walk away again. "It'll be easier that way." he said, barely loud enough for me to hear.
He was half a block away before I blinked. "I don't think that's the point." I said softly. I pulled out the assignment sheet again and key words like "communication" and "compromise" jumped out at me. Veronica walked out and stood beside me then. "So..." she said looking around.
"There is a distinct possibility I'm going to fail Life Studies." I said turning back to the library to go gather my stuff.
End Chapter
Chapter 4: Cause
I spent almost two hours trying to write my report in such a way that didn't make it seem like "communication" was just too challenging a concept for us but when Ms. Moore gave them back to us the next week I wasn't really surprised by the glaring red C- on top. I left class quickly, without sparing a glance for my so called partner. I hoped his grade was just as bad....no I hoped his grade was worse. He caught up to me the next morning.
"Look Gin...about the assignment - I'm sorry. For leaving." he said.
I rolled my eyes and rubbed my neck in annoyance before turning toward him. "Right Erik. Okay."
"How about we get together after the museum trip...." he said. "To work on the next assignment together."
"Ah crap!" I exclaimed.
"Look I said I was sorry but we're stuck together on this Gin!" Erik said assuming my outburst was about him. "Unless you want another D."
"No! Not you! The field trip! I totally forgot about it!" I said yanking open my locker and rearranging the stuff in my backpack. I slammed the door shut and ran to the front of the school to meet the rest of the students. As I skidded to a stop next to Veronica and Timothy, I grinned when I realized Erik's grade had been worse than mine.
"Okay what's with the skull?" Veronica asked tilting her head to the side looking at the crystal skull on display. The plague said it was opal.
I shrugged. "I don't know. You think there are a lot of large opal skulls in France?" I asked looking around the 'French Exhibit'.
"It's creepy right?" Veronica asked still looking at the skull.
"Very creepy." I replied. "I saw a jade one in the China section."
"Ooh let's go look!" Veronica said taking my arm and pulling me through the milling students.
"Looks like married life suits them." I said with a laugh.
Veronica hadn't seen what I was looking at and followed my gaze to see Todd and Petronia lip locked in front of the jade skull. "Apparently. Alex won't even meet my eyes." she smirked.
"Well he does have a girlfriend." I replied with a smile.
"Hmph, like I would even be interested in him. I'm so over the football player thing." Veronica said looking away from me. I followed her gaze and saw Timothy talking to Lance about something.
"Clearly." I said quietly. I looked back at my museum program to hide my smile and became very interested in it as Veronica turned toward me.
"And you and married life?" she asked nudging me. "How did you do on your first assignment?"
"C-, I think Erik got a D." I said. "Yeah, I think my fake marriage will end in a fake divorce before the fake first anniversary."
"Too bad you can't get a fake F instead of a real one." Veronica added less than helpfully.
"Nice V - thanks for your support." I said although I wasn't really upset by her joke.
"I'm gonna say this again. Talk to him - for real. Not just this half-hearted small talk. It's not going to just go away Gin." Veronica said seriously as we started walking toward the Egyptian exhibit.
"Yeah, you're right." I said looking around to see if Egypt had some sort of skull as well.
"Good, I'm glad you agree." she said taking my shoulders. She spun me around right in front of Erik and then walked away, winking at me.
"Er...hi." I said glaring after Veronica.
"Hey." Erik said awkwardly. At least I wasn't the only one. "Um...like I was saying, we should get together...for the next assignment. Just not at the library...."
"Yeah. Um, why don't we go to my house? This afternoon?" I suggested. I knew he wouldn't want to go to his house.
"Okay, I'll....see you after school." Erik said with a nod. Then he turned and left quickly. I sighed and leaned against the display case, closing my eyes for a second to collect myself. When I opened them I spotted an alabaster skull staring at me intently. "Gah!! Creepy much!" I exclaimed to no one. The other students turned to look at me in surprise and I just smiled awkwardly before ducking back out of the exhibit areas.
-----
Erik beat me to my house that afternoon and was waiting for me on the front steps when I got there. It may have been because I dragged my feet walking home. Todd was out with Petronia so I'd walked home alone for the first time all year. The prospect of facing Erik - alone - made me go slower than normal.
I let us both inside and after grabbing a couple drinks we sat awkwardly on one of the couches. As soon as we both sat down, I wondered why one of us didn't sit on a chair instead but by then it would have looked weird to get up and move.
"I would never be so controlling as to not let you buy a new dress." Erik said as a means to break the silence. "Or get mad that you did." he added.
I looked at him confused for several seconds before the source of his words hit me. The assignment...right. "Well according to the scenario you were." I said digging out the sheet Ms. Moore had give us yesterday.
"Well I wouldn't be. You can buy as many dresses as you want." Erik said with a weak smile.
"I'm not really a dress person." I said, chuckling a little. "Anyway maybe it's not that I bought the aforementioned dress but that I didn't tell you about it first?" I suggested.
Erik shrugged. "I don't see how it would make much difference but sure."
"Well I think we're supposed to figure out the root of the anger and talk it out....or something like that." I looked at the sheet of paper again. "Communication and all."
"Okay so you didn't tell me...I'm mad....you should have told me first." Erik said looking away from me.
"You're right, I should have told you first." I said. "And it was a really expensive dress...it was cowardly of me to not be honest right away."
"Yeah." Erik said still looking away from me.
"Okay then..." I said tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and frowning.
"There was someone else - over the summer. We broke up so it doesn't really matter but I thought I should tell you. There was someone else...." Erik said staring at the fire.
I felt my mouth pop open in surprise and was unable to say anything. I must have taken too long to reply because he finally looked from the fire to me. "Um....okay." I said finally. I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut. "Well we're broken up...so...I mean you didn't have to tell me or anything...but okay." I said.
"Right, I just....I mean - we broke up - her and I mean, before I came back....but I just, I needed to tell you." Erik said.
I nodded several times - too many times really. Of all the things Erik and I should talk about - this was not one I was expecting. "Well, okay. Great. Um, I'm glad you had a good summer." I lied with a smile. I looked back at the papers in front of me. "I think we have enough to get started here." I said holding up the paper. I stared at it as it wavered in my shaking hand.
"Yeah." Erik said looking at his own assignment. "Are you okay Gin?" he asked putting his hand on my shaking one to stop it.
I nodded and gave him a large fake smile. "Fine. I'm fine. But I have a lot of Geometry homework...do you think we can work on this later Erik?" I asked not letting my smile drop.
"Sure." Erik said. "I'll...cal...I'll see you tomorrow." he said gathering up his stuff. I saw him to the door and then walked outside hoping some fresh air would stop the tears stinging my eyes from spilling over. I saw a shadow in the pool house and was surprised to find Todd there playing Foosball.
I joined him at the table and we played in silence for several minutes. "I thought you were out with Petronia tonight." I said quietly.
"Eh, didn't work out. She still hung up on her ex." he said scoring another easy goal on me.
I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. I wondered if it was really Petronia hung up on the ex. "Still friends though?" I asked instead.
"Oh yeah, she's nice. Just not ready for anything." Todd said focusing on the game.
"Right, understandable." I said as the I continued to think about what Erik had said. Someone else...how serious were they? Why did he come back here instead of stay with her? Not that serious? I heard the ball slide into my goal once more and gave up.
I walked around the table and turned Todd to face me. I had every intention of talking to him about Erik, telling him what had happened, seek his advice and his comfort. But when I looked into his startled, sparkling eyes, I couldn't say anything. In fact, all rational thought processes stopped as I leaned forward and kissed him, clearly surprising him as he stiffened up as our lips connected.
Clearly we'd kissed before, a few times, but it had been awhile and things between us had changed. I'd stopped having a school girl crush on him over a year ago now. We were best friends...
Todd responded as I would expect most boys too after the shock wore off. He returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around me...
This wasn't the comfort I'd intended to get from him...
End Chapter
Chapter 2
Julian's pulse was up as he stepped through the doors. He tried to appear calm but the beeped he'd heard about a minute before indicated he was officially late for his duty shift.
"You're late Mr. Ice." Captain Robert Hunt said sternly without even turning to look to see who had entered.
Andrea "Andy" Kawolski's mouth curled up just a touch as she tried to keep from smiling at the look of sheer panic on Julian's face.
"Um..." Julian stammered as he rounded to his chair.
He came up in front of the captain and pushed back his shoulders, resolving not to show fear. "My apologies Captain." he said as calmly as possible while his heart hammered in his chest.
Captain Hunt spared him a look and then turned to the crewman at the helm. "Please inform Mr. Ice what he has missed since his duty shift began."
"Um..." The crewman looked at the captain confused and then at Julian. "Nothing really."
"Ah well, shame." Captain Hunt said. The ghost of a smile appeared on his face as Julian relieved the crewman and took his seat. Behind him Andy was grinning and trying hard not to laugh. Commander Hoshimi Katou - the ships' chief science officer looked less pleased.
A couple hours into his shift, the ship rocked roughly to the side jerking the bridge crew. Julian clutched his station and worked hard to regain balance. "Mr. Ice, I trust that you learned how to pilot before coming onto my bridge." Captain Hunt said.
"It's not his fault Captain." Andy spoke up from the engineering station. "Looks like there's a stabilizer malfunction." she explained and then opened up communications to Engineering. "Bridge to Engineering."
"Get your purple haired arse down here Kowalski!" came a gruff reply. "Sorry Cap." it added as an after thought.
Captain Hunt just held up his hand absently, whether to dismiss Andy from the bridge or in response to the chief engineer's language or both. "Now Mr. Ice, do you think you can get us righted?" he asked as the ship leveled out. "Ah, very good."
Kowalski was halfway to engineering by the time Julian compensated for the stabilizer. Walking down the hall at an angle was awkward but not something she was inexperienced at. She walked into the upper level of engineering and noticed a distinct lack of people. Leaning over the rail she heard the chaos below and made her way to the stairs. "Dex!" she called out for her boss and mentor.
"What you do to my ship Dex?" she called out. There was a flurry of activity in the lower level. Dex - Anthony Dexter and the chief engineer - was barking out orders as engineers zipped past him.
"Get your butt in gear Andy! Those stabilizers aren't gonna fix 'emselves and I ain't got no faith in that flyboy on the bridge to keep this ship steady!" Dex barked over the bustle of activity.
Andy grabbed a tool box and kicked off her boots, they were completely impractical for climbing into the innards of a starship. She was flat on her back, under a panel and covered in soot when several alarms went off. She heard a muffle of voices and a thunk followed by loud groans. She scrambled out from where she was and took in the scene. Dex was crumbled against the wall and a fire was raging on another panel. "Get that fire out!" she yelled and shoved a couple of nearby engineers in that direction. She knelt beside Dex and gave him a once over. "Dex, hey Dex!" She was answered by groans and curses. "Engineering to Medical - send us a medic!" she hollered over the noise around her. The fire was put out and the chaos died down slowly. "You!" she said pointing to an engineer. "Work on those stabilizers."
"I told you to work..." Dex said and then started coughing. "To work on them." he finished followed by more coughing.
"Can't say I really care what you want right now Dex." Andy said with a grin. "Just shut up and wait for a medic."
"Ugh, you called them? I'm fine!" Dex said starting to sit up. He groaned and cursed so much, Andy forced him to stay prone.
Freya walked in then and came over to them. "What happened here?" she asked kneeling down beside them.
"There, the blue coat is here - now go get the" Dex coughed several times, the coughs shaking his whole body. "damn stabilizers workin'!" he finished the sentence gruffly. Andy just smiled but she looked at Freya knowingly before leaving them to get back to the stabilizers.
Freya nodded. "I'll keep you posted Andy." she said before turning her attention back to Dex. "Come on, we have to get you to the ward."
Her instruction was met with groaning and more cursing from Dex but she eventually convinced him to go.
Dr. Finn insisted on keeping Dex for observation after treating his burns but first shift was ending so Freya left Dex, unhappy as he was about it, in Dr. Finn's grumpy care. She gave Dex and weak smile and shrugged. "I'm on call tonight so I'll probably be back to rescue you soon." she said with a wink. She saw Dr. Finn eying her and grimaced. She made a quick retreat over to the bar where she was meeting Andy and Julian.
She was the last to arrive and sat between the two of them. Julian looked annoyed and she hoped his first shift with the captain had gone better than his expression suggested. "So?" she asked looking between them. She knew that Andy had been on the bridge for at least part of the shift. "Come on! How did it go?"
Andy grinned and then started recounting the details over Julian's late arrival and the side roll the ship had done. "He looked so nervous!" Andy said laughing. "Captain Hunt could see it all over his face and I know he was laughing on the outside as he antagonized him."
"I was not nervous!" Julian said, but he was smiling so he had taken the captain's ribbing well after he realized the humor.
"Right! Not at all!" Andy said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and ordered up three drinks. She handed one to Freya, placed one in front of Julian and held her own glass up. "To Julian's first shift with the captain! A few bumps but otherwise not too bad I'd say."
"To Julian" Freya repeated, raising her own glass. Julian didn't say anything and barely touched his glass, let alone raised it in the toast.
"How's Dex?" Andy said after a long drink from her glass. "Ooh good stuff!" she said admiring the contents of the glass.
"Pissed that he's stuck in the ward with Dr. Finn." Freya said with a laugh taking a drink from her own glass - non-alcoholic in content. "But otherwise fine I think."
"Well I'd be pissed too. Dr. Finn is a grumpy old jerk." Andy said.
"Andy!" Freya hissed glancing around. She saw Commander Katou sitting at a table nearby.
"What?" Andy said looking around as well. She saw the commander and shrugged. "I'm sure Katou knows." she said a little lower. "It's a universally acknowledged fact." she paused and leaned in closer to them. "Besides - Commander Katou's not exactly winning any personality awards either."
Freya chuckled and finished her drink just as her comm beeped. She was being called into the ward. "Duty calls." she said. She gave Julian a quick kiss on the cheek and wove her way through the crowded passages back to the ward.
Finn tossed her surgery garb as soon as she entered the bay. "Scrub." he said. "And get dressed. Mr. Dexter needs surgery."
Freya's eyes went wide as she looked around for Dex. She scrambled into her scrubs and tied her cap before approaching the sink with Dr. Finn. "What happened?" she asked.
"The blast threw him into a wall. He's bleeding into his brain." Dr. Finn said matter of factly. For all his faults, when it came to his job - Dr. Finn was all business.
Freya finished scrubbing and the nurse helped them don gloves and a mask before they went into the attached surgical bay. This was the first surgery Freya had been called in on since she had been assigned to the ward. Her stomach was fluttering and her heart was pounding. She noticed her hands trembling slightly as she stood by the table.
"Get it together Ryan!" Dr. Finn snapped. "You're no good to me like that!"
Freya took several steadying breaths and watched her hands slowly stop. "I'm ready doctor." she said.
"About time." Dr. Finn muttered and made the first cut.
End Chapter
Chapter 1
"Why are you so nervous?" Freya Ryan asked her boyfriend. He'd been tapping his fingers on the table all though breakfast and now was looking around the deck.
"Why am I nervous? Oh I don't know Freya - maybe because this will be the first shift on the bridge at the same time as the captain!" Julian Ice replied drumming his fingers against the side of his mug.
"You've been on the bridge and piloting this ship since your ascension six months ago!" Freya countered. "And you are a descendant of THE Alexander Ice. You were born to pilot this ship!."
"Yes but the captain Freya! I've always been second or third shift - barely caught sight of him. And as for my ancestry - it was three hundred years ago. You shouldn't put so much stock into it." he said looking toward the cafeteria, still unable to settle himself.
Freya rolled her eyes but smiled at him. "Whatever happens - you should eat a good breakfast first. Doctor's orders." she said as she got up to grab a breakfast plate for him.
"You're not a doctor yet." Julian said laughing. It was the first sign of the anxiety leaving him. His watched beeped twice and he jumped to his feet. "No time for breakfast, I've got to go love!" he said in a rush. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and was moving to leave when Freya grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back for a better kiss.
"Good luck." she said smiling as he left. Her smile faded a bit when the door closed behind him. She scooped up their mugs and put them in the bin to be washed. She waved to Ash Swanson, who was washing the breakfast dishes and made her way toward the medical ward to start her own duty shift.
"The children need vaccinations" Dr. Harry Finn grumbled as Freya walked in to the ward. He motioned to the front desk where a case with files and supplies waited for me.
"Good morning to you too." I muttered at his back and scooped up the case.
It was a well known fact that Dr. Finn hated children and almost every child on board was terrified of him. So I flipped through the files in the case as I walked back out of the ward. Dr. Finn didn't acknowledge my departure in anyway. It was also a well know fact that Dr. Finn hated me - particularly my being in HIS medical ward.
I slipped into the first classroom quietly. The lights were dimmed as the children were watching a recording. Lydia Holloway - the teacher and one my friends smiled at me as I entered and motioned for me to sit. I took an empty seat and turned my attention to the recording. The narrator's voice was that of a female and I instantly recognized the recording from my own childhood history lessons.
After the dust settled from the great world war, Project Unity was put forth as a means to reunite the world governments and to create a lasting peace. Unity, the original ship that now contains Primary Bridge Operations and the Engineering Bay, began being built in 2082 - just one year after the end of the war. Project Leader James Hunt oversaw construction of the entire ship and was instrumental in selecting the various scientists and engineers for the crew. The Project was supposed to unit twenty-five representatives from around the world for a year long space exploration mission.
Three years later the ship was only weeks from launch. The Quuvari, the first alien species to make contact with the people of Earth, invaded with a large force. The war-beaten population of Earth was easily overtaken and decimated by the Quuvari. Half the population was slaughtered, most of the remaining were enslaved. Small pockets in less populated areas were able to run and hide.
The location of Project Unity was far from any major city, allowing it to remain undetected by the Quuvari in the early days of the invasion. James Hunt took the opportunity to scrape together the nearest survivors of the invasion. Hunt took everything he could from the project headquarters for supplies and loaded up the ship with their only means of survival. He and twenty-four other souls consisting of scientists, engineers, assorted staff from Headquarters and an Ambassador who had been visiting at the time of the invasion boarded Unity and launched. The Unity became a life boat for a small band of the human race.
Whether the Quuvari ships didn't detect Unity or simply ignored it, we will never know but we must forever be thankful for efforts of James Hunt, the first Captain of Unity as well as the other crew members who worked together in order to survive.
The lights slowly came up in the classroom and Lydia stepped forward. "Three hundred years has passed since Unity left Earth with only twenty-five passengers. Who can tell me how many people live aboard Unity now?"
A girl next to me raised her hand and Lydia pointed to her. "None." she said with a smile. "Everyone lives aboard the Ark now." she added.
Lydia laughed. "Very true Tessa. The Unity crew realized they could not thrive on the small vessel so they started to expand. In time they collected space debris, parts of derelict ships and eventually they encountered other species in their travels. They were very crowded of course for some time because it took years for the first segment of the Ark. Those original twenty-five people grew...and grew - as did the ship. With passing generations, new segments were added. Now, Tessa, how many people live on board the Ark?" she said looking at the girl who had answered earlier.
"Fifteen hundred." Tessa said confidently. "Give or take a few." she added.
Lydia nodded. "Correct. Each generation adds to the population of the ship and everyone works together so that we continue to thrive." she smiled. "But for your generation to get to add to the population - you have to stay healthy. Which is why Ms. Ryan is here today. Everyone stay in your seats." she said as the children turned to look at Freya. "Turn on your computers and begin reading chapter 3 which talks about genetic diversity and the special significance to our people. When it's your turn, you'll be called."
The kids turned away from me and I could hear the thrum of the computers as they powered up and they began reading. It took Freya two hours to work though all the classrooms and administer the vaccines. She was a little sorry to return to the coldness of the medical ward and Dr. Finn after the happiness of the children.
Chapter 2: Back to School Blues
Todd was sitting on my bed trying not to look annoyed. "Ginny come on!" he exclaimed as I reached for the dresser drawer again. I had changed my shirt three times and it was clearly grating on him.
I closed the drawer with a sigh and tried to convince myself that he was right to be annoyed with me. Without turning to him, I spoke, "What if he doesn't come back Todd?"
"Then he doesn't come back Ginny. We've been over this already." Todd said trying to sound tender.
I turned and walked toward him. "I know and I'm sorry - I'm just...." I sighed again. "I'm crazy aren't I?"
"Crazy? No...a little unstable? Maybe." Todd said with a smile. I laughed and flopped on the bed next to him.
"How did things get so complicated Todd?" I asked looking at him.
He laid back on the bed next to me and grinned a boyish grin. "Something about being a teenager." he said. "At least yours might come back." he said, his smile fading. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
He returned to squeeze and then sat up quickly and pulled me to my feet. "Come on, if we don't leave now we'll have to take the bus."
Our path to the school took us right by the graveyard. Todd noticed my feet falter as we approached it but didn't say anything.
He put his arm around my shoulders and I instinctively leaned into him as we walked. There was a time when passing the graveyard didn't bother me or make me falter, in fact most of the time I was perfectly fine but my thoughts were troubled lately by things other than Erik. I'd seen the date on the school calendar as I looked it over and since then I couldn't stop thinking about that night. I shuddered and tried to push her tortured face from my head. Not today....
When we got to school, I found myself looking for him. Our school wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. I'm sure there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I didn't see him. Right....
Todd and I found our new lockers and were soon joined by Veronica. She was the queen of the rumor mill so I turned to her in order to question her. If anyone knew anything, she would know. Before I could say anything she held out her hands to stop me. "Before you ask, I haven't heard anything." she said. I frowned.
"Nothing?!" I asked frustrated.
She just shook her head and shrugged. "The only talk about Erik is about you two breaking up." she said. As we were talking, Timothy joined us. I noticed Veronica looking his way, looking surprised. I glanced over and grinned - he hadn't cut his hair.
I took a moment to look him over as Veronica filled me in on the summer gossip. He was more tan, had new glasses in addition to the new hair. He was looking good after a summer of manual labor in in the Egyptian sun. I caught Veronica looking over at him several times during her gossiping. Her surprised melted into general approval of his new appearance. Finally she finished her recap of all the gossip she'd gathered since returning from California and turned to Timothy.
"I love the hair Timothy!" she said with a flirty smile. Todd and I share a look and tried not to laugh. "And this tan....suits you." she added.
The warning bell rang through the school, sending all the lingering students running to their first period classes. I didn't have any classes before lunch with my friends and I didn't see or hear anything about Erik except gossip about our mid-flight break up. I caught a few people looking my way and then turning to snicker when they saw me watching them.
My first class after lunch was science, which I shared with Veronica and Timothy. When I saw them already in the room, I grinned. Finally! A class with friends! I took a seat next to Veronica and looked over at her but didn't say anything. She knew what I wanted to know.
"Mary, who is an office aide this year, told me he transferred." she said sadly. "I don't know how true it is...but that's what she said..." she was cut off and as Coach Williams - the baseball coach and science teacher - came in the room.
The rest of class and my next class were a blur. I saw nothing of Erik so I could only assume Veronica's report was true. I was sad, then angry, then annoyed - I knew I shouldn't be angry, I'd told him to go. I knew there was a chance he wouldn't come back. And yet - there it was, anger. It was mostly the lack of communication from him that upset me I think.
"Gah!" I exclaimed to my friends outside our last class of the day. Veronica, Todd and I were all in Life Studies together 6th period and were loitering in the hall together before going in. I saw Veronica roll her eyes and I saw Todd holding back something; although whether it was a laugh or a yell of frustration - I'm not sure.
Todd saw him first but I was already rambling about something so he didn't interrupt me. Then Veronica caught sight of him as he got closer and approached the door. "Um Gin..." she said softly and pointed.
I turned around and locked eyes with him. He wasn't smiling. He didn't look angry but he didn't look happy either. He paused only briefly and then walked by us, looking past me to Todd and Veronica. "Reports of my transfer are greatly exaggerated." he said and then walked into the classroom....the same classroom Veronica, Todd and I were headed for.
The four of us had signed up for Life Studies at the end of the year last year when it was still taught by Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin was about 90 years old and had a tendency to ramble more about his own life than the coursework. As a result it was supposed to be a pretty easy class. Sadly, Mr. Franklin had passed away over the summer and now the class was being taught by Ms. Moore....as if I hadn't seen enough of her last year. Todd, Veronica and I followed Erik into the classroom and found the few remaining seats. I ended up next to Erik and felt an odd sense of deja vu - we were in the same seats as we sat in last year when we had first period together.
He didn't look my way the entire class period and left when it was over without saying anything. I watched him leave the classroom with a frown. "Oh Erik..." I said softly to myself as I gathered my stuff up.
End Chapter
