Thoughts of a Marine - Part 3 - The Morning After

Posted on Wed Dec 4th, 2019 @ 9:02am by Lieutenant Commander John Pearce & Major Charlena Dilucca
Edited on on Fri Dec 6th, 2019 @ 5:07pm

1,468 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: [JM New Haven] S1 E2 A New Haven
Location: CMO Pearce's Quarters/Major Dilucca's Quarters
Timeline: MD 03 - 0515 08/01/2396 - Immediately after "Thoughts of a Marine - Part 2 - Thoughts Into Actions""

ON:



OLD:


He went into the bedroom and got the Starfleet-issued coverlet off the bed, then walked back out to where she was. Sitting down beside her once again, he spread the cover over the both of them. Then putting an arm around her, he snuggled her close and said "Now, where were we?"







They'd had another drink and spent time talking and laughing softly, interspersed with kisses and hand-holding before finally falling asleep.







NEW:







====== Several hours later ======







John awoke to a feeling he had not felt in...well...ever actually. Sure, he had been married before but this was different somehow. And he was happier than he had been in a long, long time. Charlena lay next to him, her head partially on his shoulder, her long dark hair splayed out in all directions. Quietly, so as to hopefully not awaken her he called out "Computer - time..."







"The time is 0513..." the computer intoned.







He wasn't sure if he should wake her or not. He wasn't due in sickbay until 0800, some two and a half hours from now, but he wasn't sure if she was on the same schedule or not. Perhaps he should have asked her last night but somehow schedules just weren't on his mind then. So he would let her sleep. He had a strong suspicion that, with her being a Marine, she would know when it was time for her to be awake. So he lay there, content to just enjoy her being so near.







Charlie had heard the computer say the time, but she decided to lay there real still with her eyes closed. About ten minutes later she stretched herself and deliberately moved really close to John. She looked up to him. "Good morning, what's for breakfast?" She sniffed a little and said, "T'San told me to eat before I do my morning run. I used to run before breakfast. Then during a sparring session with Xalanth I fainted. T'Para first said I was pregnant. But that was impossible so I got a second opinion from T'San. T'San then found I had a nutrient definciency, and there was a glitch on T'Para's tricorder. So now I eat before I run."







After a few minutes John felt Charlie stretch and move closer to him so he put his arm over her and snuggled against her. Then, in response to her question he said "Breakfast is anything you want, sw..." he hesitated. He had almost called her 'sweetheart' but he wasn't quite sure how she would have taken it so early in their relationship, so he had stopped himself. "That is as long as you don't mind replicator fare. To be honest I'm not that much a cook, so what would you like?" He looked at her for a long moment, then added "How did you sleep?"







"I slept alright. I am a marine, I can basically sleep anywhere, especially when it's quiet enough. And the company is right." She smiled. "How did you sleep?"







"I slept better than I have in a long time," he said. And it was true - he *had* slept really well in spite of them having slept on the floor. Perhaps it was his imagination but he wondered if it had been because of the woman who had slept beside him. He suspected that might have had a considerable bearing on it. "So how far do you run every morning?"







"Oh that differes every morning," Charlie said, "but I try to run 30 minutes each morning. Give or took. And now..." She got up. "For breakfast, I would like a french toast and orange juice. It sounds exactly the thing that would give me a power up." She started with a few stretches. "Oh I may have to run by my quarters to get my trainers and sneakers. Why? Did you want to run with me?"







John watched her for a minute as she went through her warm-up stretches. 'Gods, she is so beautiful...' he thought to himself. To her he said "I think a run would be good. And if you'd like, you can replicate trainers and sneakers here. But if you're more comfortable with what you have in your quarters then I completely understand that.







"I think my own trainers and sneakers are more comfortable. I took me some time run em in." She grinned.







"But for now," he said as he stood up, "I will get our breakfast." He thought about stealing a good-morning kiss from her but decided to wait on that for later. He went to the replicator and placed their order - French toast and orange juice for her and bacon, eggs and coffee for him. When it appeared he carried it to the table and called to her "Breakfast is served..."







Charlie sat down at the table and started to eat as she looked at the juice a moment for she took a sip from it. "Thank you. This is good."







"It's just replicator fare," he said as he sat down. "But you're welcome." He smiled at her as they began to eat. "I've always heard that a meal is made better by the ones you share it with." He winked at her. "In this case I definitely have to agree."











When they had finished breakfast, they had gone to her quarters so she could change. While she was changing into her running clothes it gave him a chance for a quick glance at her quarters. The layout appeared to be similar to his - a basic living area with a bedroom off to one side. The major difference he discovered was that her quarters were much more tastefully decorated than his were.







Once she was ready, they had gone on a very energetic run around the ship, and at times he had found himself hard-pressed to keep up with her. But he had managed and now they were back at her quarters once again. "Thanks for a very...interesting...run," he said, still a bit winded from the exercise. "And for a wonderful time last night. I really enjoyed the company. But I guess I should be getting to sickbay - after a shower, of course. But first..." he said after a quick glance in both directions down the corridor. "How about one more kiss?"







Charlie also enjoyed her time. She could use a shower as well. Her heart was beating rapidly and not just from the run. The moment he asked her to kiss, she reached up and kissed him gently on his lips. She put her arms around him. When their lips parted she said, "You don't want to stay and use my showers?" It was out before she realised it. She could feel her cheeks glow again of her blushing. But somehow it was too late to take her words back.







He had been surprised by her offer of the shower and to be honest he had been sorely tempted to take her up on it. But ultimately he had refused. "I uh...I'm not sure that would be wise," he said slowly. "It...ah...could lead to something that we might not be ready for - at least right now," he added at the end. He held her close for a long moment, not wanting to let go but knowing that he had to. After all they both had jobs to do. So, with a gentle squeeze he stepped back slightly and said "I'll see you later, beautiful..." then turned and walked away.







Charlie watched him leave. He was right. Thet weren't ready for this. She walked in to her quarters to get washed up. She had things to do herself.







OFF:











Major Charlena Dilucca



Chief Security officer/Second officer



USS Shanghai







LtCommander John Pearce MD



Chief Medical Officer



USS Shanghai

 

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