STF

Academy Flashback - A stroll for two

Posted June 12, 2022, 6:56 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Ethan Nash (Chief Engineer) (David Shotton)

Posted by Civilian Jessa Novar (Child) in Academy Flashback - A stroll for two

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ethan Nash (Chief Engineer) in Academy Flashback - A stroll for two

Posted by Lieutenant Emily Fox (Counselor) in Academy Flashback - A stroll for two
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Snip

Emily gave him a quick kiss and smiled at him. “Surprise me, Speedy,” she tried out a new nickname. She wasn’t sure if she liked it yet but E-Dawg was more to torment him than a pet name.

“Speedy? No no no no no.” Nash repeated several times, now gently letting her drop back to the ground where she could adjust her skirt back into place. “Speedy can do just that and disappear, forever. You never call a guy speedy, alright, just no.”

Twirling under his arm she smacked his back side as she began to walk away and talk over her shoulder. She knew exactly what she was doing and what Nash was looking at. “Have your people meet me at hangar ten at sixteen hundred hours. Don’t be late or you will lose your ability to enjoy just how much fun it is to watch me walk away.” Biting her lip, Emily could not help but smile. She was mad about Ethan. Every second she got to spend with him was the best second of her day.

Cadet Emily Fox

Nash smiled stupidly as she walked away, and made no move to hide that he was staring at her rear end as she swayed in just the right way that a snake charmer did to make sure the snake’s full attention was on them. It took a few moments, but eventually he blinked and looked around. “Crap,” he muttered to himself. “Where and when? I wasn’t actually listening properly.” He would work it out, there weren’t that many shuttles leaving for San Diego this afternoon so it wasn’t much of a problem, Ethan only knew that he was really really looking forward to spending a weekend away with Emily, even if his friends were joining them for, something.

----------- A Few Hours Later -----------------------

“Ethan!” The weirdly accented voice of the New Zealander, Darius Morgan called out to Nash from a transport that had just stopped, the last two members of the group exiting from the doors and standing, hoisting small packs over their shoulders. “Mate I know that this is arranged on short notice, but don’t you think it’s a wee bit dodgy that your missus asked you to bring a bunch of your good looking friends along on this weekend trip? You don’t think she’s a bit loose do you?”

Grins broke out from Ros and Mason who stood waiting for Darius and Rico to join them, both of them looking at Ethan and shrugging. “Brothers got a point,” Mason said. “I don’t notice any of her friends joining this sausage party.

“Well at least I know that Rico is a safe bet here,” Ethan smiled back at them. “I mean, he started dating that Rhodes chick recently right? If he does anything to mess that up Duncan will break his legs and feed him to whatever animals he keeps in those big hangars back in England they use to dispose of bodies.” Looking at Ros, Nash continued, “Ros has a couple of women on the go, right? You started hooking up with Admiral Harris’ daughter didn’t you? Amber’s her name yeah? He messes that up and the Admiral’s gonna make sure he gets assigned a ghost ship somewhere in the middle of nowhere.”

“Where is that Redheaded demon you take to bed Nash?” Ros quickly changed the subject. He had just started dating Amber, sure, but he was still working on a way to let the other two girls he was dating down without causing drama. Darius and Mason where the two single guys in the group, and he was considering calling in a Bro Favour on them, tagging them in, and tapping out to focus on Amber.

Cadets Nash, Morgan, Black, Akirel and Vanhall

“Cadet Ros,” Hornsby’s characteristic bellow filled the space. “Would you care to elucidate further on the topic of Cadet Nash’s nocturnal habits because if I am not mistaken the Academy does not permit sleepovers? If I am wrong,” he drew the word out, “then please,” he made a sweeping motion with his arm, “explain to me how and when we became an extension of the free-loving, skippy dippy, do whatever hell you want college branch of Berkely!” The tone was laced with sarcasm and Hornsby leaned in putting a hand to his ear, cupping it to make sure he did not miss a word of Akirel’s reply.

Herman Hornsby

At the sound of Hornsby’s voice, every single Cadet present snapped to attention. What was noticeable however was the speed and rigidity that Ros achieved, was far less than that of the other Cadets. He also didn’t have the panicked, deer in headlights expression of any of the others.

In fact, Cadet Akirel Ros leaned forward slightly, just enough so that he could speak clearly into Hornsby’s hand that was cupping his ear and there could be no missing his reply.

“Sir, I would love to elucidate, Sir!” Ros replied and looked at Nash. Ethan, Rico, Mason and Darius all began shaking their heads in unison, but immediately stopped when Hornsby’s eyes snapped on them in response to their movement.

“Excellent,” Hornsby clapped his hands and rocked back on his heels. “Cadet Ros you have my attention. Please begin.”

“Sir! A sleepover indicates that there is sleeping being done. I can guarantee sir that with Cadet Nash there is no sleeping involved in his nocturnal habits, and as such, there is no waking up together. Sir, I suggest the lack of sleeping and of waking up next to another person invalidates the possibility of a sleepover taking place. In that situation, Sir, no Academy rules are being broken! There is also no free loving Sir, Cadet Nash is paying for is relationship with the Red Headed Demon with his soul and his wallet. Dinner at ‘The Ample Nacelles’ is not cheap, Sir!”

Cadet Akirel Ros

With a laser focus, Hornsby’s eyes snapped onto Nash. “Well Cadet Nash,” he turned to face him, “or do you prefer the title Cadet Casanova?” He waited until Ethan produced a response to his question.

“No Sir, uh, Nash is just fine thank you Sir.” Ethan looked at Ros with daggers that may have just been sharpened, and the response he got was a very slight smirk from Ros. Baiting the instructors was the accepted Game at the Academy. If you could get one to focus their attention on another Cadet, one of your friends, you got points. Ros was scoring here.

“According to your fellow cadet Ros, here you suffer from insomnia? Is that true?” Hornsby was getting louder and louder with each statement. “Is that why you need a snuggle buddy you refer to as,” he snapped his fingers at Ros.

The smirk disappeared from Ros’ face as he looked at Hornsby. The game wasn’t supposed to continue, extra hazing wasn’t part of it and Hornsby wasn’t playing fair. He had been here long enough that he knew of the game of course. “I’m not sure who you mean, Sir..” Ros said a lot quieter than he had just a moment ago.

“The red-headed demon,” Hornsby looked at Nash. “By any chance would this red-headed demon be someone I know?” Herman Hornsby never approved of cadets having interpersonal relationships while at the academy. In his opinion, it limited one’s potential.

“Uh,” Nash stumbled for a moment. As far as he knew, Emily wasn’t in any of Hornsby’s PT classes, but he did seem to know her somehow back on Arakis in the soup kitchen. “I do not believe so, Sir. It is a large Academy and the Psych Cadets are not often part of the PT makeup.” Nash lied, outright lied. He may get demerits but he was not going to let Emily go down with him just because Ros had a big mouth and his brain was in the head between his legs.

“Well, maybe you should not be going on this little trip. In fact I have a whole class of demerit-loving cadets needing supervision spending Saturday working them off so they can earn more. Maybe running twenty miles would help you sleep like a baby and save those credits at the,” he snapped his fingers again at Ros to fill in the blank.

“Ample Nacelles.” Ros sighed as he said it, then shook his head slightly at the other guys to show it was now beyond his control.

“The Ample Nacelles,” he repeated the name. “So Cadet Nash what should I do about this conundrum I am facing. Do I allow you to board this shuttle if you are so sleep deprived it could affect your health or do I send you back to your room and let you get a good night’s rest.”

Herman Hornsby

“Sir, Cadet Nash is important to Cadet Fox’s score for her study,” Ros interrupted, not realizing that Nash had lied to try and hide who he was seeing. “She requested Nash and the others here for a task away where she has to, um, I am not sure, Sir. I know it is important to her grade and she has limited time to carry this out, and Nash is important to her study.” Now, Ros stepped between Hornsby and Nash to try and bring Hornsby’s focus onto him.

Hornsby looked at Ros and raised an eyebrow. Secretly he liked the man however it in all the years Herman had been in the academy, he prided himself on not showing approval to anyone or a particular group of cadets. This group however held a certain spot at the bottom of Herman’s heart. Not only did they all show potential of being some of the finest officers in Starfleet’s future, they also were thick as thieves and impenetrable when they closed ranks. None of these men would take the easy promotion by stepping on someone else for a pip. That is why Hornsby was giving them a hard time. One day they would thank him.

“Sir I volunteer to Supervise the Cadet that are doing demerit duty. That way Cadet Fox’s grades will not be affected by Cadet Nash’s absence.” The tone of Ros’ voice was strained, it was clear he wanted to be on this trip, yet he was throwing himself under the bus to atone for his big mouth.

Cadet Akirel Ros

“So you are telling me Cadet Fox needs all these Darling Dandies for a project so she does not fail an assignment?” Herman waved his finger at the lot of them standing at the shuttle ramp.

“Uh, Yes.” Ros nodded. “At least that’s how I understand it, Yes?” He looked back to Ethan for confirmation.

“Yes,” a voice came out of no where. “I need this entire lot of darlin’ dandies as you put it. Gentlemen if you would please get on the shuttle so we can take off,” Emily said gesturing to the ramp. “We don’t want to be late now do we?” Emily made a shooing gesture to the men with a slight smile on her face. As Ethan walked by she grabbed his hand and gave him her bag. “Can you take this on the shuttle for me but don’t stow it? Just save me a seat next to you if you can?”

“Sure, I can do that.” Ethan said and began to smile slightly. His eyes moved to Hornsby in the background though, like a shadow looming over them and his smile stopped before it began. The others around him looked at each other a moment expecting Hornsby to bellow a halt to Emily’s suggestion, but when none came, took the opportunity to hustle onto the shuttle.

Emily waited for the men to board the shuttle before turning her back to the craft as she began to speak to Hornsby. She gestured several times and whatever she was saying made Horrible Hornsby chuckle a few times before gesturing to Emily to move out of visual range.

“Dude he is so gonna rip her a new one,” Darius said while he watched the two move to a point away from their line of sight.

==========================
On the blind side of the shuttle
==========================

“Oh my god will you promise to leave Ethan alone,” she said giving Hornsby a hug. “I really really like him and if you give him a chance, you will see he is pretty much absolutely wonderful.”

“Em one day you will be standing where I am now and no matter who walks through that door, you will never see them as absolutely wonderful. You will only see them as trying to take away your world,” Herman patted his niece on the back before letting her go. Clearing his throat he shook his hand looking at the wide smile on Emily’s face. “However out of that lot in the shuttle, you could do a lot worse. Now,” he clapped his hands together, “time for you to go and finish your thesis.”

=====================
At the ramp of the shuttle
=====================
“And I am telling you Cadet Fox this is a one time thing,” Hornsby bellowed. “Next time I smell cologne and shaving cream I am gonna run them until the strench is replaced with the smell of mud and sweat.”

“Wait, he’s actually letting us go? Just like that?” Rico watched as Emily walked around towards the shuttles door. “Dude, is your chick Hornsby’s daughter or something? If that was one of us we would be walking funny for a month and taste his boot every time we brushed our teeth!” Ros leaned forward tapping Ethan on the shoulder repeatedly to get his attention.

Emily rolled her eyes and waved a hand over her head acknowledging the threat but also ignoring it. Taking a seat next to Nash, Emily buckled the belt and smiled.

“You just have to know what to say to Hermie,” Emily laughed and winked at Ros. “You need to get a deep voice. Puff out your chest,” she pushed her shoulders back attempting to make her chest broader and just tell him, “calm down or you are going to give yourself a heart attack. Trust me it works every time.”

“Hermie huh?” Darius shook his head. “No thanks. I choose life.”

“Choose to live on the edge. You will actually live longer and have far better stories to tell. It’s why the science guys end up either becoming closet cat ladies or applying for citizenship on that wacky planet, Mintara Prime. See they have this crazy matching system that guarantees you will find the love of your life through a checklist.” Emily shook her head as if it was the most insane thing she ever heard. “I know I am not supposed to be judgy but sounds a bit like a mail order bride thing but that is what happens to people that don’t take chances. They end up with love checklists and lots of cats.”

“Life,” Ros backed up Darius, then looked at Mason. “Life,” Mason agreed and then looked at Rico. “Hey Nash, hear that? Those Mintaran’s sure are wacky. Lucky you don’t have to do like, a checklist huh. Oh, I choose life.” He ended with.

“Yep, I sure am lucky,” Ethan agreed. “Sure am glad I love living life on the edge too,” whether Ethan was siding with the boys or Emily, no one could tell. Whether he was mysteriously referring to some weird Mintaran checklist was an obvious no. He had no reason to even think about that Mintaran checklist after all. He had all the Harmony he needed.

Emily looked at them and shook her head. “Where are the people that charge head first into chaos? Embrace the battles instead of running from them? Herman Hornsby is just a man. It’s all of you that make him more than that. I mean at some point he was your age. A little boy waiting for Santa Clause after spending all day making cookies. The trick is,” she leaned in, “never give him power over you.” Deep down Emily knew it was a losing battle and a suicidal one on the cadet’s part. Everything she said was true but she was leaving out the fact that Herman Hornsby loved his job. He lived to get up and make their lives hell fully believing that it would serve them better in the future. Yes he was hard on them but life was hard out in the black. Herman Hornsby, the terror and bane of every cadets life, really and truly adore the cadets: He just had a crappy way of showing it.

Looking around the cabin, Emily turned her attention back to Nash. “So where is my bag,” she asked him biting her lip and smiling widely.

“Right here babe,” Ethan pulled the bag up from where it lay at his feet, not visible in the cramped confines of the shuttle. “Okay, I’m going to ask, what’s in the bag? Do I get a prize like that old game show?”

“No, but you get a kiss now. The prizes come later tonight,” she tilted her face up to his.

Leaning forwards, Ethan leaned in for the promised kiss but had to pause as Emily suddenly began talking again.

“Take a lesson boys from your friend here about what happens when you take chances.” Pressing her lips to his, Emily kissed Nash like no was watching even though everyone was. She had a vague idea of who all the men were on the shuttle but she wanted it crystal clear where all her attention was focused on. Anyone one of the men on the shuttle could make a girl’s heart beat faster but only one made Emily’s heart skip a beat every time she looked at him. Breaking off the kiss, Emily decided to share a little secret with the rest of them.

Putting the bag on her lap she opened it and began handing out bottles of beer to everyone.

“Bro! Your chick is awesome.” Darius half cheered, standing to take his beer and reaching over to ruffle his hand through Nash’s hair showing his approval. “When she ditches you, Emily, honey, call me!” Darius made the phone shape with his fingers and put them up to the side of his head as he sat back down to the laughs of the others.

Making a phone shape with her own fingers she returned the call. “I’m sorry the number you have reached has been taken off the market. Beeeeep,” she playfully returned the comment to Darius.

“Okay so I wasn’t sure what you all drank but we can get what you want when we reach the hotel.” Moving the bag to Ethan’s lap she left it open enough for Nash to see the lacy navy blue outfit sitting in the bottom. She could barely contain her smile as she asked the next question. “Okay, so I have booked three rooms. Since we have to share maybe we should think about who we want for bed buddies,” Emily screwed off the top of her beer and took a sip.

Emily Fox

Looking in the bag, Ethan reached in and fingered the lacy smooth material and grinned. Twisting the top off the beer himself, he tossed it over his shoulder with an educated guess. That guess was proven right as Darius’ protests that he had been hit by a missile sounded to more laughter from the others. Pleased with himself, he took a sip of the beer and eyed Emily for a long, long moment.

Emily knew Nash was looking at her but she pretend not to notice as she bantered with the guys. Putting out her hand she leaned forward with the palm flat and her fist resting on it. “Okay, so I think the only fair way to do this is Rochambeau it. Who wants to play me?”

“I’m in! Ros announced and half stood, followed quickly by Darius. “It ain’t a game without a team,” came from the New Zealander. “Park your butts,” Ethan said out loud and turned to look at them, then turned back and stared at Emily with a grin.

“Three rooms,” Ethan said. “Emily and I are in Room One, and no, Ros, you can’t join in. You’re in Two with Mason, and Rico and Darius are in three. You can all fight over Duncan when he gets there but,” now he looked over his shoulder at Rico, “You know how protective he is of his sister, you probably don’t wanna go to sleep with him in the same room dude.”

As if to toy with Nash a little more, she crossed her legs so that the toe of her boot traced the calf of his leg.

Looking back to Emily, Nash reached down and picked up her calf that she had by his leg, turning her crossed leg into an unladylike knee over knee with her foot on his lap while he ran his fingers along her calf. “What else you got planned for San Diego babe? Do we get room service?” While he spoke, he slowly ran his hand up the inside of her thigh, moving past the point of casual affection and still travelling further, starting to exert a little pressure with the tips of his fingers. He didn’t give a damn though, the others were behind him and if Emily wanted to tease, he could do the same. He grinned as he looked her in the eyes, daring her keep speaking as if he was doing nothing.

Cadet Nash

“I don’t know darling,” she said sweetly, “however I do think if you don’t feed the red-headed demon, she might get hangry about one in the morning so room service is definitely a must.” Drawing her face into a shocked expression she opened her mouth in an ‘oh’ shape to match the oh’s and man’s being snickered out by the other men in the shuttle. “So tell me is that payback for E-Dawg or did one of your yahoo’s over there,” she nodded a gesture in the other guy’s general direction, “come up with it? Was it, Ros,” she looked almost excited to be correct. “Tell me it was Ros?”

“Yep, scored in one try,” Nash smiled. “That one was all Ros, apparently it’s something about redheads and stealing souls. Probably some ancient Bajoran mumbo jumbo that nobody really believes. I mean you only got my heart so far. How’d you hear about that anyway? You weren’t even around when he said that.” Nash spoke as if nothing was happening, he even glanced out the shuttles view port as if he was settling in for a long flight.

“Oh I hear and know all,” Emily settled back in her seat shifting her position for Nash to have more access to her leg. “It’s just better he learns that now than in ten years when we have a dog and couple of kids.” Emily had no qualms about letting anyone and everyone know her plans for the future. Much like her previous statement, it was better Ethan know it now rather than having to struggle with trying to decide it on his own later.

=============
Two hours later
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Emily opened the door to the room and walked in. The room wasn’t perfect or magnificent but it was hers and Nash’s for the night and that was all that mattered to her. Putting her hands on her hips, she let out a deep, contented breath. “So what do you think,” she asked as Ethan carried in all the bags. The men traveled with only the essentials in a duffle bag but in true fashion, Emily packed as if they were going for a week instead of one night.

“I think,” Nash said while he put the bags off to one side and turned to face her, That you mixed up Motel with Hotel, and found the one place in San Diego that doesn’t believe in turbo lifts or luggage trolleys. What the hell did you pack in there?” Ethan frowned but at the edges of his lips was a smirk. Using his foot, he closed the door behind him. Thankfully on one wall was a replicator and the bathroom was modern enough, but the motels clearly advertised ‘Old World Atmosphere’ was clearly left over from that old world in most ways.

“Things to make me look pretty,” she said with a soft smile. “The cut of the tunic does nothing for your imagination so I tried to make sure what I was wearing this weekend would provoke insomnia for a couple of days when we are back on campus and not playing house like I fully intend to do for the next forty-eight hours. I gotta make sure you dream about me at night until you get to go to bed with your dream every night.”

“What makes you think I don’t dream about you already?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “At the library, in the gym, the pools. During the cross country run, Diplomacy 717 The Morning After First Contact, Etiquette and managing Expectations. Ethan tilted his head coyly at the last one. “What should I be expecting this weekend? It sounds like I need to manage my expectations a wee bit.”

“The only thing you need to manage is me.”

Letting out a laugh she crawled on the bed and stood on her knees looking at him. “Come here,” she curled a finger coyly enticing him over. “I think you deserve a tip.”

“A tip?” Ethan said and raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “Oh you think I deserve a tip huh?” He walked to her slowly and as he did so, casually unbuttoned the top couple of buttons on his shirt with one hand, and with the other, unbuckled and pulled the belt out of his trousers. That, he casually threw on the bed beside her as he finally came to a stop in front of her only inches away. Then, he smacked her rear end hard as he pulled her closer to him. “I think I’ll take the whole damn booty, not just a tip.”

“God I love it when you pretend to be all command track,” she let out a sharp squeal as he smacked her but wrapped her arms around his neck.

“What are you talking about? I am completely Command Track.” He pulled his head back from her now, looking at her hard. “Ethan Nash, poster boy and future Captain of the Federation Flagship,” his smile turned into a lopsided smirk.

“Are you,” she said running her fingers through his hair. “I think you are too soft to be a captain. You are like one of those chocolate-covered candies with cream filling. The shell might be a little resistant at first but the second you apply a little pressure you are all sweet and gooey inside. I hate to break it to you Ethan Nash but you are never going to be the grumpy and gruff type.”

“Baby you are completely right,” Ethan agreed and then pressed his lips into her neck. “You are my girl, and with you by me there is no way in hell I could ever, ever turn into some grumpy, angry, gruff, cigar smoking loner who hates anything.” His lips travelled from her neck up to her jaw, and slowly moved towards her lips. “You make me want to be the best man I can possibly be, do you know that. You deserve an amazing man who loves you and takes care of you, who will always be with you when you need him. You make me want to be that man, every moment I am with you, every moment I am away from you and every time I dream about you.”

“Of all the people in the world, you Ethan Nash, make me want to be a better person. It was chance that brought us together but I am pretty sure I was always meant to be with you.” Emily had dated plenty of people in her life but none of them ever felt like a partner. None of them ever made Emily feel like she had someone that would stand by her come what may and never look back. She felt safe with him and that wasn’t a bad thing. When people felt safe, they felt powerful and confident. With Ethan at her side, they were going to do amazing things.

The past few months had been a whirlwind with Ethan since she met him on the desert world. They had spent a portion of every day together since their arrival back at the academy. In the time between when he left the desert world and she returned to campus had been filled with hours of endless comm calls. Where he had found the time to talk that much surprised her. They spent pretty much every meal together and off duty time. The only time they were apart was when it was time to study. Studying with them had turned out to be a very unproductive academic experience. They had tried so many different locations with none of them conducive to the pursuit of anything intellectual unless it was biology and physiology. The reserved section of the library was her favorite. Yes it was dusty and dim but the absolute silence required there added an excitement. Tonight however they had an actual bed with sheets and pillows. As thrilling as the adventures were promising to be, part of Emily was just as excited to wake up in his arms instead of having to sneak out and across campus at the end.

Emily Fox

“So that little blue lacy thing,” His face took on a thoughtful expression for a minute as he looked at her, the back of his free hand running down the side of her neck as he spoke. “That for dinner or desert?” Pausing a little, Nash smiled “I’m trying to think of ways to feed that red headed demon before she gets hangry sucks my soul out of me. Shall we do burgers and beers?”

“No, we are definitely doing dessert first. I have no patience and I have needs that make me feisty. Trust me you want to see the feisty,” she replied letting her fingers move to the back of his neck rubbing it softly.

“Oh I think I want to see the feisty,” He moved his face closer to hers and looked at her. “I think I need to hear about these needs too, fore warned is fore armed, right? See what I can do to make sure those needs of yours are filled, as often as I can.” Raising his hand, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear but left the lock on the other side hang over her face.

Nash kissed her softly and then pulled his lips away enough so that he could speak again. “Before anything else though, give me your sock.” The look on his face was deadly serious. After all, there were two rooms of Academy cadets nearby and there was no way that Nash was taking any risks of His and Emily’s night being interrupted.

Ethan Nash

“Only if you give me your pants,” she countered. Leaning forward she pressed her lips to his ear. “Leave it unlocked. I don’t care if they find out the only person I want to be with is you.” As she spoke, Emily started to work on a few more of the buttons on his shirt. Her hands shook a little as she worked the tiny round circle through the eyelet of his shirt. It was more due to the ever-growing need to forget they were cadets and pretend for one moment, they were just Emily and Nash slipping away for a weekend. The scent of his cologne made her feel dizzy. It had taken her a while to find the bottle and get the fragrance but once she had found it, Emily went out and bought it. Every night she sprayed her pillow before curling up with it imagining it was Ethan she was curled up with. Tonight, however, it would be the real thing. In all their time together, they had never gone to bed and woken up together except for that first night in the caves. Tomorrow morning she would open her eyes and find him exactly where he was when Emily closed her eyes.

“That can be arranged,” Ethan’s free hand dropped to where his belt had been and started working. “I won’t need the sock then if you wanna do it that way,” his eyes looked intense but not in a serious way as he looked at her. “I can work with that.”

Stopping at the last button she looked up at Ethan. “I love you,” she said in a firm and confident tone. Just hearing the words made Emily shake with a mixture of nervousness and pure conviction. They had never said those words to each other except with playing around or as the punch line to a private joke between them. Right now this was not a joke. Her whole world was standing directly in front of her and Emily needed Ethan to know it. “I will move heaven and earth to be at your side and I never want to be anywhere but at your side.”

“I know,” Ethan told her quietly, and moved his lips to her neck once more but at the same time took her wrists and held them behind her back with his hands. For a moment, he let his lips linger on her neck and shoulder, then trailed them up so that he was looking straight at her. So close she could feel his lips brush hers.

“I love you.” His words were soft but clear. There was no hesitation, no underlying joke. Only three simple, clear and honest words that he meant only for Emily.

It was something that had been unspoken between them for a while now. She had fallen in love with him back when he smelled like a Yak and tasted like dust and sand every time she kissed him. It did not take her long to decide Ethan was the man for her. Emily also knew somewhere along the way Ethan decided the same thing. For men is was a lot slower process, especially when the were deciding on the future Mrs. Jokes constantly were made about men only wanting one thing but the truth was, men were far more complex. Only when they were in it, for one thing, did they do and say things fast and easily. When it meant something to them, men tended not to lob out words like you are the one for me or I love you. They were more guarded in replies relying on just being there to show how much they were into you. Little things like carrying heavy luggage or stopping by the Student Union to pick up adhesive because you casually mentioned it as an off-hand comment. Men by nature were fixers and problem solvers. This was how men really showed they were into a woman.

Emily kissed him long and deep letting out a little moan before rocking back on her heels. “You…you um…,” she struggled to have a clear thought. “Okay, we need to slow this down for a second because if we don’t we are so going to miss the blue lacy thing.”

“Oh crap,” Nash leaned back immediately and stopped what he was doing, letting go of her wrists that he had still had pinned behind her back. “Okay, no way I am missing that. Go get changed, slowly, and I’ll make myself comfortable.” Standing up from where he had been leaning on the bed, Ethan held out his hand to help her off.

Rolling off the bed, Emily found the small carry-on bag and slipped off to the bathroom. Stopping at the door she looked back at Ethan and felt her heartbeat so fast it felt like it was coming out of her chest. Ethan was gorgeous but there was so much more to him than that. He was humorous, kind, and the way he looked at her made Emily feel like no one else in the universe mattered to him. Moving into the bathroom, she hastily changed her clothing. Blue was Ethan’s favorite color which was why she had chosen it for the color of the ensemble she was wearing. After taking a quick look in the mirror, Emily slid open the door and stood in the frame of it.

“I knew full well that this was a motel without all the bells and whistles,” she admitted moving slowly towards him. “I just thought it would be best to focus all our attention on each other and not a holovision with a million channels of programming. “So,” she gestured at her body and her outfit. “Like it or no?”

Emily Fox

Watching her walk towards him, Ethan said nothing. He couldn’t. He had no words that were able to be said as he watched her slow walk, her sway as she approached him. The way her hair fell around her face and shoulders and how her eyes looked at him. She looked Beautiful, dangerous and vulnerable all at the same time. Over all of that, Emily Fox looked like she knew exactly what she wanted, how she wanted it and what she was going to do to get it. It was mostly that last thought that made his words stick.

“So thumbs up or thumbs down cadet,” she said softly gesturing to her outfit. Right now she could have walked across the room wearing galoshes and a raincoat and Nash probably would have give the same reply as he was about to. Being visual, the outfit definitely helped but it was the look in her eyes and the fact she made an effort for him specifically was why he was looking at her as if she were the most beautiful thing in the world.

Biting his lips, he just nodded as he looked at her. While she changed he had already removed his shirt and pants and socks but left his undershorts on while he lay on his side on the bed waiting for her.

“Okay, so this is a damn site better than a quick meet in the library,” he admitted and grinned. “You have all of my attention, all of it, see?” His eyes dropped for a second as if he was looking at his chest and he looked back at her and grinned. “That suits you, it suits you a lot. Come here, I think you deserve a reward.” Now it was Nash who curled his finger in the ‘come hither’ motion as he looked at her. With his other hand, he moved the belt aside that he had left on the bed while the other clothes had been neatly folded and put aside.

Ethan Nash

Slowly crawling up the bed, Emily moved so she was sitting across his lap. “We have done this probably a hundred times already since we met but I don’t ever want to do it with anyone else…for the rest of my life.” Leaning forward she kissed him softly. The kiss was not electrifying or hormone-driven. It was passionate and slow. She had had dozens of times they moved at that rate due to time constraints or situational ones. Tonight she wanted to take it slow, enjoy every second because moments like this, for cadets, were rare. Their lives belonged to Starfleet for now but tonight she only wanted her life to belong to Ethan.

Emily Fox

He let her kiss him softly, Matching her kiss with his own with tenderness and a slow exploration of her lips while he let his hands gently trail from her shoulders down her side and coming to rest on her hips. For a while, he just kissed her. Rarely had the two of them had the time to take it slowly, other than that first night on Arakis on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea of sand dunes under twin moons and the warm breeze of the desert caressing them both. The material of the outfit she had brought gave him an excuse to explore with his hands, the cut of the material directing the journey that his fingers took on her skin.

“Where did you come from Ethan Nash,” Emily said finally breaking off the kiss. Her tone had a breathy quality like she had just run the PT course and was about to collapse on the soft grass. “I went my entire life without knowing you and in less than three months I feel like we have been together a lifetime. Is that weird?” She looked at him scrunching up her nose. “That’s weird right?” She didn’t need him to agree with the idea but more agree with the sentiment. Emily found herself skipping time with her friends just to be free for any moment with Ethan. In fact this entire weekend was planned around having more than just a Saturday afternoon with him.

“You sound like you wanna make this thing we have going more of a thing,” Ethan said after he pulled his lips away from hers just slightly, ignoring her first question that he suddenly realized, despite her knowing so much about him and Nash having spoken about his family often, had never admitted where he was from. The thought made him grin. Far from being an ‘oh crap’ thought, Nash looked forward to the day that he would explain to her exactly where he was from.

“Well it would make explaining why my focus board is now less about me and more about the wedding I am planning you seem to have no idea about”

“Oh really? Is it a big one? Lots of people and music, food and renting the an entire section of beach on Risa? But, like you said, we’ve only been together three months. That crowd you work with is going to think you are one of those too-intense-girlfriends if you let that little piece of trivia about us out.”

“It might go a long way in my career if you start screaming from a few rooftops how much you love me. It will make people think I am less delusional which of course is a really bad trait for people to think their counselor has.” The smirk on her face told Nash she was just being playful. Emily had zero doubts about his affection for her. “I know men tend to be more tight-lipped about it. Instead of screaming it from rooftops guys just tended to shove other men off the rooftop if they got any ideas,” she mused.

“Don’t worry, I’m keeping a little red book of names of guys I need to shove off a cliff on the next field assignment,” Ethan whispered to her as if it was something romantic. “There’s that Richardson from Sciences, Malvetti from Security and I got that Andorian that looked at you funny in PT, you know the one, he’s got the blue skin.” Now he struggled to contain his smirk.

In truth, Ethan had no fears of other men getting any idea’s or admiring her. He was enough of a man to know that’s what men did when a beautiful woman was around, and he had no fear of Emily looking elsewhere. She was a free spirit, and Nash knew that her spirit adored him and wanted to be with him, just like he missed her every moment they were apart.

“I suppose though, that I could go with having flowers and coffee delivered to the counseling suites, with a big card attached with badly drawn sketches of you and I. That way, they can all psychoanalyze my drawings while sit back with your flowers and caffeine. That work love?”

Kissing him deeply she let out a deep moan letting her hands trace his back and shoulders. The only thing in her mind was Ethan. It felt intoxicating and exciting. “Don’t ever stop kissing me like this,” she said pulling back slightly to look him in the eyes.

“I like the sound of that, for the rest of my life as well.” He didn’t let her talk, he just kissed her again deeply and ran his hand up her side to the back of her neck, making sure for that moment that she couldn’t do anything other than kiss him back, and raised his legs slightly so that he pressed her body closer into his as they lay together on the bed.

Reaching his arms up and around her, Ethan wrapped one arm around her waist and the other her back between her shoulders, then he pulled her tighter into his body as he kissed her again slowly, taking his time to explore her as if this was the first time they touched. Nash took his time, not wanting this to be over anywhere near as quickly as they had to on other occasions.

Ethan Nash

Emily closed her eyes and relaxed back into the moment. His hand seemed to be all over her body and everywhere he touched it was electrifying. He made her forget reality and pretty much everything in the universe except for him. Time seemed to slow and then stop allowing them to pretend they weren’t cadets on a time schedule but two people with all the time in the world. The time was spent between talking about trivial things and not speaking because words were not needed. Several times a loud banging on the wall from the room next to them interrupted the calisthenics however everything just made the time they spent that night confirm the only person in the world Emily wanted to be with was next to her in some prepositional form of next to, beside, over, or under.

============
Six hours later
============
Emily woke up and feeling relaxed but definitely not rested. There wasn’t a lot of sleep that occurred last night but once they were back at the academy there was plenty of time for sleeping. Aside from all the invigorating activities, there was a lot of talk just as intimate. Where they were headed, how they were going to get there, and what they wanted all made Emily wake up feeling slightly anxious. This was exactly what she wanted and where she wanted to be. The anxious piece was getting it all. Life was messy and although she had no reason to doubt anything that was said waking up today felt different. It felt real and less pillow talk. “Ethan,” she said softly turning over to wake up the man beside her or to greet him with a smile and hello if he had been up before her.

Emily Fox

What greeted Emily was a soft snore as Ethan was still out cold, sleeping away the exercise from the night and letting muscles that had twisted, turned and stretched in ways that even a rigorous session of yoga that Emily sometimes made him attend in the early mornings before classes, had never managed to achieve.

He was wearing one of his shirts that he had packed and that had, as of when they went to bed, still been in his bags. That small clue would key Emily in that he had been awake before her at some point, and that for some reason he had gotten dressed and then fallen back to sleep.

The reason was clear moments later as the smell of coffee and eggs wafted to them from the corner table where two bags full of early morning takeout breakfasts were waiting for them, with Ethans running shoes discarded sloppily by the door. He had been for a run, already, and on the way back had got them both breakfast, then promptly fallen asleep beside her with a content smile on his face.

Ethan Nash

Emily took a second to take in the scene. Was this what she wanted? Waking up on Saturday to sneakers in the middle of the floor or close to it. Breakfast made and waiting by a man that was so focused on his career that he couldn’t take a day off and just be lazy? The short answer was yes. Where some women might see the scene differently, Emily saw the future. One day this would be their home with his shoes piled where they don’t belong but he would not be sleeping. Instead, he would be watching morning cartoons with a few mini Nash’s making him crazy. The breakfast would be made but only to wake her so that the kids stopped driving him crazy. Rolling over on her side she saw Nash next to her fast asleep.

“Ethan,” she said in a low tone. “Ethan are you awake?” It was clear the man was not but also equally clear she was just using it as an excuse to wake him up. “Hey Nash,” she said a little louder and bounced on the bed far more than necessary to try and slyly force him from his slumber. “I was wondering if you want to go for round two,” she threw out a sentence. “We have about two hours and I didn’t know if there was something you wanted to do to pass the time,” she spoke in a low soft tone but one acting as if the man were up and getting ready for a run instead of being back in bed.

Emily Fox

The soft snores from the man lying in the bed next to her stopped suddenly, but for the next few seconds that seemed to be all the reaction her words caused until one of Ethan’s eyes opened and looked at her sleepily.

“Round two huh?” his face broke into a smile as he rolled towards her, his arm moving to drape over her lazily. “I thought that unless I fed the beast there was this hangry thing that happened early morning, pre-coffee. Lucky I’ve already been out to hunt down some supplies before the beast turns.” With a smirk, he twisted his head to look at the table behind him in the corner. “You like egg rolls right?”

“I like you,” she giggled rolling over to face him with a smile. “Like this much,” she spread her arms shoulder-width apart.

“Whoa hold on there, princess” Nash made a show of examining how far apart her hands were. “You don’t wanna go overboard with that affection there, and make me think that I don’t need to work for it do you? You’ve got to leave a little room to grow.”

“Okay maybe like this much,” she decreased the distance but the action caused the mountain of her north forty to suddenly create a valley right at the top of the sheets. It would be obvious to know what she was attempting to show and it was not the arms spread wide display of love, but rather a pinpoint, laser focus on one section of her body. The way she held her hands at sheet level directed Ethan’s gaze directly where she wanted it.

“That’s, much better.” Ethan nodded automatically but his eyes were locked on a point somewhere between and behind her hands. “Perfect, actually.”

“I thought you liked me but you are dressed and I…I sadly am not. What should we do about that Mr. Nash,” she drew out his name slowly.

Ethan picked up the sheet that covered the both of them and looked under it. Smiling, he looked at her with a lewd expression going with the soft bite of his lip. “Maybe you should go get breakfast from the table, I can watch.”

Ethan Nash

Giving him a coy smile, Emily threw back the sheet on her side exposing far more curves than valleys. She took her time moving away from the bed and to the table. Ethan said he wanted to watch and she was going to give him a show. The room did not have much in the way of anything fancy however, on the small dresser there was a small tray holding the typical ice bucket and a few glasses. Rooms this cheap did not come with personal replicators. The cups were there for someone to use if they needed a drink. Removing the items from it, Emily placed the breakfast and coffee on the tray in its place. She hung there for a second trying to appear busy as she traced the back of her calf with her other foot. The motion was sensual and a classic pose seen in holomovies all the time by scantily clad women to taunt a male watching her. After holding the pose long enough to ensure Ethan was now wide awake, Emily slowly spun to face him.

He had turned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow to better watch the small show that Emily was putting on for him. The way she moved and the quiet, soft light of the early morning in San Diego left no doubt in his mind that breakfast was very likely going to be had in bed this morning. He found his breathing grow shallow but quick, a response to a sudden urge of excitement that was far beyond his control as he watched her slowly walk away from him, the gentle sway of her hips reminding him of they way they had moved last night. The lack of furnishings in the room itself meant that there was little to distract Ethan as he watched her. Not that anything would have taken his eyes away from her curves as his memories of their touch and the firmness of her under his fingers came back to him. His only audible response, was of letting out a long, slow breath as she turned to him.

“I’m sorry…did you say something there cadet?” It was clear, that Emily was reveling in the attention and reacting to the way Ethan’s eyes moved all over her body. It was just a flirty comment to up the flow of hormones that was filling them like a drug. She felt intoxicated and fuzzy-headed every time his gaze fell on her. The sound of the low growl he used when she tormented him on campus and in public, made her skin break out in goosebumps. For every move, word, and emotion she tossed his way to grab his attention Ethan Nash had a way of catching it and lobbing it back with just a bit more intensity. This created a sensual tug of war that always ended in requiring them to meet up in some closet, back of the library, or sneaking each other into their dorm rooms.

“No Ma’am, not me.” Ethan’s voice was low and distracted, a slightly lopsided grin on his face while he could feel his heartbeat quicken, his head growing lightheaded as blood was redirected like someone had opened floodgates and he had to adjust his position for comfort. Even though Ethan and Emily were not new lovers, in a sense this weekend was very much the first time they could be lovers instead of young adults filling carnal needs when and where they could with limited time and, although intoxicating in it’s own way, risk of discovery. Ethan’s mouth was going dry and his shallow, quick breaths weren’t helping to control his excitement.

“If you were so kind to get the food then maybe I should be the one to serve you breakfast in bed doncha think?” Her words were rhetorical in nature and meant only to see if Ethan could produce a coherent sentence or thought. Emily loved to see him this way. Nash always had every box checked and answer circle in his life. This was good and would provide the stability she ultimately would want in the future. The problem was they were not in the future and Emily hoped to tease the man that planned for everything a lesson in spontaneity. After crossing the room, she placed the tray on the nightstand instead of just handing him a cup or item on it.

“I like that idea,” he answered but his words seemed far away, as if he wasn’t actually paying attention to the food. He reached out and let his fingers lightly brush her thigh while his eyes travelled up her body, slowly, letting each feature etch into his memory like a sculpture that was so exquisite you didn’t want to lose any memory of the details after it was no longer in front of you. His hand gently moved around to her rear as his eyes finally came to a stop on hers.

“How do you take your coffee,” she asked as if she did not know. It was fun playing a waitress in a sense. It allowed her to dote on him in a way that wasn’t possible in the mess hall back on campus. Pausing she looked at Nash and waited for his answer with the cream in one hand and sugar in the other.

“Orally,” he grinned. “Best way to start the day.” As he spoke, Nash gave Emily’s rear end a firm squeeze.

Emily broke out in a laugh unable to maintain her feigned aloofness at the side of his bed. His comment brought a redness to her cheeks and made her look away for a second. Clearing her throat she looked back at him trying to stay in character. “Who doesn’t?” The attempt was about as successful as trying to get a Vulcan to run across a public space screaming I love you. It was the way he was looking at her that made her not able to try and pretend she was only half interested in the man lying in her bed. “You are incorrigable and not en courageable you know that right?”

Now, he smiled and it was an innocent smile that he could have given any member of his or her family. “Baby, only you have this part of me. Okay maybe a couple of parts of me are only for you, but there is no way in hell that you are going to stand there looking like that,” he let his eyes follow her curves slowly as he said it, his hand following, his fingers gently applying pressure where he had found sensitive points the previous night, “and I’m going to keep being this top of class Cadet everyone takes me for. You do this to me, and I like it.”

“You know you are going to need to finish this fast. I have plans for you and it does not involve the public activities I scheduled.”

Emily Fox.

“I can do fast, but not this morning, put those down and give me your hand, you can tell me about those activities later.” He said as his hand let her go and he held it out for her to take. “I have something important to tell you.”

“I do not want to hear anything you have to say,” she gave him a half-grin knowing whatever it was, was going to be a long conversation. The only long conversations with Ethan Nash seemed to have been carnal in nature. Verbal conversations tended to be more of the universal type between men and women where she talked and he just nodded and grunted a few times to avoid her comment of are you listening to me. Still it was not like she didn’t like to hear him talk in is one way. Extending a hand, after she set the tray down, Emily smiled.

When Emily took his hand, he pulled her towards him and on top of him, letting go of her hand and using his arm to wrap around her body as he rolled the two of them over in a grapple that was similar to what they practiced in hand-to hand combat classes, so that by the end his body was over hers as she lay exposed under him on the sheets. Lowering himself down onto her he let his lips brush hers, then spoke quietly. “I’ve already had breakfast. I just wanted to watch the way you walked for a moment and remind myself of how amazing you were last night.”

He let his lips move down from hers, down her neck and onto her chest. “I’m ready for second breakfast though,” he spoke as his mouth explored every curve and valley they came across in their journey south.

“What are you a hobbit? You are spending way too much time with that guy Darius,” she giggled as he ran kisses down her neck. “

“Shush, my treat. All you need to say is please and thank you Ethan.”

Adjusting her self under him, Emily looked up at Ethan for a long moment. “No…” she slowly corrected him. “All I need to say is more.
Right now I don’t intend to use my manners.”

“In that case I have to resort to plan B if you won’t behave,” Ethan’s eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth twitched. Letting his body weight press down on her he reached over for the pair of light silky fabric that usually had a different purpose. “If you can’t say anything nice, then you don’t need to say anything at all. Sshhhhhh.”

----------------- 1 hour later--------------------

“How about we get coffee on the way out?” Ethan gently brushed her hair from her face as he lay beside her, though he had to go back and try again as the dampness from their early morning exercise made it stick to her skin instead of move easily. The bed was completely unmade, the sheets in a crumpled pile at the end with the shirt and shorts he had quickly thrown on when he had gone out earlier, lying in a heap beside them.

“How about you get up and bring me coffee. Me bringing coffee to bed had unforeseen consequences. Happy ones but ones that left me without my magical dose of caffeine.” Patting his shoulder, she motioned for him to get up. “Since it will take me longer to get ready and this place does not probably have enough hot water for a joint shower, go. Bring me coffee and then you can get ready. While I loved your debriefing conference this morning, we do need to be ready to be productive members of society and not just members of a nation of two.”

“You said something about having plans for me?” He grinned as he looked at her. By now the sounds of the city around the motel had grown louder, the light stronger but the two of them were lying beside each other letting the morning air cool them from a window that he had opened maybe half an hour ago. As he spoke, he let his fingers run over the same curves that his lips had explored not long before but this time it was a soft intimacy that showed he didn’t want the contact between them to end, even if breakfast had cooled down. Her hair was messily spread around her head, the red locks stunning against the white of the bed sheet in the light of the new day and Nash let his eyes rest on her face. He was unable to remember how things felt when she wasn’t around, but he knew that feeling wasn’t in the ball park compared to what he felt looking at her now, or how he felt when his mind drifted to the thought of spending whatever time he had on, with or for her. This was the woman that he never wanted to be without, the woman that made him better in ways he never knew he could, or needed to be.

Ethan Nash

===============
One hour later......
===============
Standing outside the small hotel, Emily sent Nash a glaring look which was not the looks he had been getting all morning. This one would be one that he would become far more familiar with in the future to which his only reply would be how it is this my fault.

“How is this my fault?” He asked as he handed her the cup of coffee from the mobile cart that was parked across the street. He had no idea what the look was for, but he had received it enough times after campus escapades in various out of the way spots that resulted in lost buttons or torn seams on uniforms, or lost socks or rank pips.

Pulling out her communicator as it rang she instantly put on a perky voice. “Director Smith. Yes the accommodations are good. Ummmm yes we are out front.” Putting her hand over the speaker she looked at Nash. “Where is Ros?”

“He’s not here?” Ethan asked looking around. Off to the side, Mason, Rico and Darius sat with the recently arrived Duncan drinking their own coffees and eating various breakfast treats that the vendor also sold. Ros was nowhere to be seen.

“Yes yes we will be ready,” she said in a perky tone before hanging up and looking at Nash as she spread her hands saying “well.”

Emily Fox

“You’re all early,” the voice of Ros came along with the closing of a car door as he stepped out of a Taxi that had pulled up not far away from the group outside the motel. He was dressed in the same clothes as the previous day but had clearly showered and cleaned up, in fact, he looked smarter and tidier than any of them along with more well rested. His leather jacket hung open at the front and the collared shirt was open a few buttons down from the top, revealing the leather strap around his neck he wore off-duty.

“We were supposed to be here at nine, right?” Ros said nonchalantly. “It isn’t nine yet, I have plenty of time. Besides the walls in that place are paper thin, you two kept me awake and with the sounds coming from your room you were either torturing kittens or practicing late night calisthenics. Or both. I only had another dude for company and there was no way I was lying there listening to that with another guy in the next bed, I went out to the bar.”

“So I met some girl, Earth girls are easy.” He winked at the rest of the group in response to snickers and low laughs. “She decided to show me the decor in her apartment.” Ros grinned slowly. “She had great furniture, real sturdy like aaaand,” he emphasized the next point by raising the beer in his hand and pointing it at Emily and Ethan, “she had a working replicator and shower, and that mattress must have cost a fortune. I slept like a log.”

Looking at the bottle, he looked back at Emily and shrugged. “So? It’s breakfast beer. Zero carbs. Gotta keep this figure popping.” He walked past the two of them and took a seat on the low stone wall that the others were waiting on.

“Okay, so what now?” Ethan asked looking at Emily. “Who is this director guy?”

Ethan Nash


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