Fic: Epistrophe sta asteria (12/14)
Back to part 11 / Back to Masterpost
It took Lena three days to decide she was tired of staying in Jim’s quarters and waiting for him to get back off of shift, only for them to continue awkwardly dancing around each other. It was about two days longer than she had anticipated it taking, but she really had appreciated the opportunity to rest.
Now, though, she was full of energy and damn pissed about not being able to do anything about it. Finally growling out loud, she stalked to Jim’s closet, tugging on one of his undershirts and a pair of his pants before heading out the door, not caring how poorly her borrowed clothes fit.
Not knowing what else she could do, where else she could be useful, she found herself walking to Sickbay. M’Benga looked up when she entered the wing, surprised. Before he could say anything, though, she was already speaking. “I’m sick and tired of sleeping all day,” she declared. “I know I’m not supposed to be here, and since I’m not on the roster I can’t actually see patients, but surely I can at least do inventory or something? Hell, even going over paperwork would be preferable to lying in bed all day and staring at the ceiling.”
He laughed, damn him. “I’m sure we can find something for you to do around here. First, though, you might want to see the quartermaster. I’m sure he can get you something that actually fits you.”
Lena sighed. “I’ll be back,” she promised, turning on her heel and heading for the quartermaster’s office.
Ten minutes later Lena was irritated at the damn skirt that had been the only thing he could provide on such short notice. Short. Ha. The skirt was short, and damned impractical too. She’d always hated it, preferring to wear the pants that went with her cadet uniform instead as well as on the couple of days she had actually worn a Starfleet uniform before.
There was nothing to be done for it, though, and clothes were clothes, so Lena headed back to Sickbay where inventory was waiting for her. It was every bit as boring as she’d anticipated it would be, but she was doing something and that was a start. A damn good start, too, and she did it with a smile on her face.
~*~
Jim returned to his quarters and was only a little surprised when she wasn’t there. It had taken her about a day longer than he’d guessed it would to go around the ship and try to make herself useful somewhere. Knowing instantly where she would have gone first, he turned and walked down to Sickbay.
He certainly hadn’t expected the sight that awaited him there.
Lena was doing inventory. All right, that was to be expected, since she wasn’t technically cleared to serve on a starship. More impressively, she was doing inventory with a smile on her face, but that was also kind of expected because at least she was doing something with herself.
No, what had surprised him was Bones doing inventory with a smile on her face in the uniform skirt.
His jaw dropped as soon as he finally managed to process her outfit. “Y-you...”
“I what?” she demanded, not turning around. “I wasn’t content with waiting for you every day in bed, especially when you wouldn’t get in it with me and proceed to do unmentionable things to me?”
“That’s not what I was going to say,” Jim managed, eyes never straying from the shapely ass shown off by the skirt.
“Quit staring at my ass,” she instantly said, and he jumped guiltily. “I can practically feel it.”
“All right. Come on. You’ve had a full day of work. Time for you to leave.”
“What? No,” Lena responded. “It’s not done yet.”
“I gave you enough work to keep you busy for two or three shifts,” Geoff supplied helpfully. “It’s expected that you not get it done today.”
“I--” Lena cut off, sighing as she clearly saw that she wasn’t going to win this. “All right. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“We wouldn’t expect anything less,” Jim grinned. “Now come on. Bedtime.”
“No, it’s not,” Bones replied.
“That’s beside the point. You’re leaving.” Without waiting for another protest, Jim marched her out of Sickbay.
~*~
Three Years Ago
Lena left the clinic as silently as she had done for two weeks running now. Staring at the ground, she let her feet lead her toward her dorm, ignoring the budding of the plants around her as easily as she failed to notice the slight chill in the spring air. After living in Georgia her whole life, after all, everything was cold here.
It had been even colder since a day about a month ago.
Sighing softly, she let herself into her room, blinking when it was brighter than it should’ve been. Maybe she’d left the lights on?
She turned around and saw it wasn’t the case. There was a woman in her room, and she was glowing.
Maybe life was about to get interesting again.
On to part 13
It took Lena three days to decide she was tired of staying in Jim’s quarters and waiting for him to get back off of shift, only for them to continue awkwardly dancing around each other. It was about two days longer than she had anticipated it taking, but she really had appreciated the opportunity to rest.
Now, though, she was full of energy and damn pissed about not being able to do anything about it. Finally growling out loud, she stalked to Jim’s closet, tugging on one of his undershirts and a pair of his pants before heading out the door, not caring how poorly her borrowed clothes fit.
Not knowing what else she could do, where else she could be useful, she found herself walking to Sickbay. M’Benga looked up when she entered the wing, surprised. Before he could say anything, though, she was already speaking. “I’m sick and tired of sleeping all day,” she declared. “I know I’m not supposed to be here, and since I’m not on the roster I can’t actually see patients, but surely I can at least do inventory or something? Hell, even going over paperwork would be preferable to lying in bed all day and staring at the ceiling.”
He laughed, damn him. “I’m sure we can find something for you to do around here. First, though, you might want to see the quartermaster. I’m sure he can get you something that actually fits you.”
Lena sighed. “I’ll be back,” she promised, turning on her heel and heading for the quartermaster’s office.
Ten minutes later Lena was irritated at the damn skirt that had been the only thing he could provide on such short notice. Short. Ha. The skirt was short, and damned impractical too. She’d always hated it, preferring to wear the pants that went with her cadet uniform instead as well as on the couple of days she had actually worn a Starfleet uniform before.
There was nothing to be done for it, though, and clothes were clothes, so Lena headed back to Sickbay where inventory was waiting for her. It was every bit as boring as she’d anticipated it would be, but she was doing something and that was a start. A damn good start, too, and she did it with a smile on her face.
~*~
Jim returned to his quarters and was only a little surprised when she wasn’t there. It had taken her about a day longer than he’d guessed it would to go around the ship and try to make herself useful somewhere. Knowing instantly where she would have gone first, he turned and walked down to Sickbay.
He certainly hadn’t expected the sight that awaited him there.
Lena was doing inventory. All right, that was to be expected, since she wasn’t technically cleared to serve on a starship. More impressively, she was doing inventory with a smile on her face, but that was also kind of expected because at least she was doing something with herself.
No, what had surprised him was Bones doing inventory with a smile on her face in the uniform skirt.
His jaw dropped as soon as he finally managed to process her outfit. “Y-you...”
“I what?” she demanded, not turning around. “I wasn’t content with waiting for you every day in bed, especially when you wouldn’t get in it with me and proceed to do unmentionable things to me?”
“That’s not what I was going to say,” Jim managed, eyes never straying from the shapely ass shown off by the skirt.
“Quit staring at my ass,” she instantly said, and he jumped guiltily. “I can practically feel it.”
“All right. Come on. You’ve had a full day of work. Time for you to leave.”
“What? No,” Lena responded. “It’s not done yet.”
“I gave you enough work to keep you busy for two or three shifts,” Geoff supplied helpfully. “It’s expected that you not get it done today.”
“I--” Lena cut off, sighing as she clearly saw that she wasn’t going to win this. “All right. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“We wouldn’t expect anything less,” Jim grinned. “Now come on. Bedtime.”
“No, it’s not,” Bones replied.
“That’s beside the point. You’re leaving.” Without waiting for another protest, Jim marched her out of Sickbay.
~*~
Three Years Ago
Lena left the clinic as silently as she had done for two weeks running now. Staring at the ground, she let her feet lead her toward her dorm, ignoring the budding of the plants around her as easily as she failed to notice the slight chill in the spring air. After living in Georgia her whole life, after all, everything was cold here.
It had been even colder since a day about a month ago.
Sighing softly, she let herself into her room, blinking when it was brighter than it should’ve been. Maybe she’d left the lights on?
She turned around and saw it wasn’t the case. There was a woman in her room, and she was glowing.
Maybe life was about to get interesting again.
On to part 13