Apologies and Misunderstandings

Posted on Tue Jul 26, 2016 @ 3:02pm by Civilian Thereen Tera & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds

1,422 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 1
Location: Liam's quarters
Timeline: MD3 1000

"Can I help you?" a redheaded women asked as Liam's door slid open. She was wrapped in a towel, hair semi-dry. Clearly she had just got out of the shower.

Tera just stared at the gorgeous redhead, a sense of futile foolishness washing through her. She’d put on the blue dress that brought out her eyes that Liam said he liked. It left her long legs bare and teased at her generous cleavage. She flushed with embarrassment now, fumbling with the small carved wooden box in her hands.

“I...ehm...I didn’t realize Li--Lieutenant Reynolds had someone over,” Tera apologized. It was early enough to set her mind wondering who this woman was to Liam. Tera pushed her long, dark hair back behind her ear. “I didn’t mean to bother you…”

The Bajoran woman turned to go, feeling foolish. She couldn’t blame Liam, not after what happened with her and his brother, and she had no real claim on the diplomatic officer. So why did her chest tighten and tears threaten?

"No, wait." The woman gently grabbed Tera’s arm. Smiling, she said, "You’re Tera, aren't you?"

“Yes…” Tera replied curiously. “Thereen Tera. I own a small Bajoran jewelry and handcraft shop on the Promenade.”

"Look, Tera, it's not what you think. Come inside, let me get into something decent and straighten this out. Otherwise Liam is going to be horrified. Please." She stepped to the side to let her through.

Still unsure, Tera stepped into Liam’s quarters. She hadn’t been here before. On their night together they’d made love in her bed.

"There's coffee on the table if you like. Two minutes. l'm Jo, by the way."

“I--hello...Jo,” Tera said, unsure what to do. She wasn’t particularly fond of Terran coffee, so she passed and looked around the room. Out the window was a nice view of the new planet. A baby grand piano and a shelf of music stood in one corner, fluffy cushions for if one didn’t want to use the couch. A couple of boxes were stashed in another corner. On a shelf were holopics, Liam with what looked to be the station XO and CMO, though Tera only knew them by reputation and sight. Another looked to be a family portrait, and she saw Liam and his twin.

“If Liam isn’t in, that’s okay,” Tera assured Jo.

Jo walked back round, having pulled on some blue jeans and a stripey top. "He's not here at the moment. They came back yesterday after leaving you, actually. Liam had punched Jon twice. Seems to have got things out his system now though, as he and Jon went out last night. Made up finally. Thank God. I was so fed up of seeing them both angry and miserable at each other via subspace. Then they went out and did the usual camping trip, get drunk, brother bonding thing that they do. Well, in a holodec. They came back just after midnight. Next thing, Liam got called away about seven A.M. Jon left with him to go back to his ship. Something to do with the Cardassians," she told Tera, taking a seat at Liam's table and a sip from the cup of coffee already poured on there.

"I know how that must have looked, a woman answering the door in just a towel. Let me reassure you, I am just a friend. An old friend of the Reynolds boys. Well, Liam and I were together a little while at the Academy. But it was years again. A flash in the pan. We figured out we were better as mates pretty fast. Liam was actually my maid of honour -- well, male equivalent -- at my wedding years ago." Jo smiled at Tera. "I'm just staying here a couple of days before my new ship departs. Its been nice to catch up.

"So you’re Tera. He told me about you. He will be happy you called. He said he thought he had messed up royally yesterday. What's in the box?" she asked, curious.

“Oh,” Tera said. “Just...an apology gift,” she explained. “I...was a bit testy with him when he was only trying to be helpful,” Tera explained. “He offered to let me stay with him while I dealt with some...issues I have been having. He thought I would be safer. I kind of snapped at him,” Tera said sheepishly. “I don’t like the idea of being driven out. I wanted to apologize.”

Tera set the box on the table. It was beautiful, hand carved, with images from Bajoran religious folklore, tails of vedeks and kais of legend. The Bajoran opened the clasp to reveal what looked like some loose-leaf tea, a small bag of some kind of mushroom, and a small sachet of a very potent scent. Jo would feel tingles of pleasure run through her body at the scent, pooling in low, forbidden places and triggering some naughty thoughts.

“I got a few things from the Rowa’ni I thought Liam might like to try,” the Bajoran said sheepishly. She’d hoped he might want to try them with her.

As Tera closed the box again, the air -- and Jo’s head -- cleared a bit, though the rush of desire in her body would take a bit longer to fade.

Jo shuddered as she felt her body having feelings that had come out of nowhere. She fought back a confusing and sudden fantasy, the idea that she be involved in whatever Liam did with these items. And for some reason this woman was also there. This was not her. Whatever that was in that box was potent, sensual, and quite possibly downright dangerous. It removed one’s inhibitions. No wonder both her boys had been in such a flap from yesterday. She looked at this Bajoran woman with new eyes. Was she using some sort of sexual prowess over her best friend? This was overkill in her mind for an apology.

Narrowing her eyes slightly, she looked at Tera, suspicious at her real intentions now, and said, "I can't comment on what Liam might like to try or not. I guess you will have to ask him."

Tera nodded. “I just wanted to say I was sorry,” she said. “I will just leave this for him.”

"What are your intensions with Liam?" Jo asked suddenly. "You know he got totally burned with the last... Well, I want to call her a girl, but she was more a half Russian hyper-know-it-all warrior queen. She cheated on him, you know. With the XO of all people. While he looked after his chlidren."

Tera blinked at the sudden interrogation. “I...don’t know what my intentions are,” she said honestly. “We had a wonderful night together, he is very nice, and I would hate to lose him as a friend because I jumped to conclusions. I have so few on the station,” she said quietly.

"Tera," Jo sighed, "I'm pretty sure Liam does not want to be just your friend. He has lots of friends who are girls. He wouldn't have punched Jon twice if he only saw or wanted you two as friends. He was jealous and upset. I'm his best friend who is a girl," she clarified, in case of any confusion, "although Amia the XO's wife would argue otherwise. That's not the case. It’s me. Not her… Anyway, I'm just looking out for him here."

Tera gave Jo a shy smile. “If he wants...more, I am interested,” she admitted. “I just didn’t want to presume. I messed up...with Jon. I’m sorry.” She looked chagrined; Liam had told this woman. Who else knew now? She knew Tianys and the Rowa’ni were discrete. Was this Jon?

“I shouldn’t take up more of your time, and I need to get back to the shop,” Tera said. “Thank you for letting Liam know I stopped by.”

"Don't sweat it," Jo said standing up and walking the woman out. "They used to pretend they were each other all the time back at the academy. You think your the only women who has kissed both the Reynolds boys and not realised one was the wrong one. Luckily they have grown up a lot since. Well Liam has. Jon's still getting there. Take care Tera."

FIN

Jo
Liam’s friend
NPC Liam

Thereen Tera
Bajoran shopkeeper
NPC Caleb Ryan

 

RSS Feed