Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in Three Isn’t A Crowd If You Don’t Want It To Be

Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Three Isn’t A Crowd If You Don’t Want It To Be

Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in Three Isn’t A Crowd If You Don’t Want It To Be
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>

Charles brought in all the bags and crates and put them in Yavia’s private bedroom. Once the car was unloaded, he yelled up the stairs and said “I’m really sweaty, so I’m gonna take a shower. Not an invitation, but also not not an invitation!” He didn’t want Sharah to be overwhelmed any more than she was as she tried to get her equilibrium back.

Tenkiller

Sharah looked up laughed. She stood and returned Hope to the table. She shooed Yavia down the stairs. “Go.”

“Come with me. Or I can stay with you.” Yavia offered.

“Really, Go. You two have done nothing but fuss over me all day. I love you for it, but go give each other some attention. And I will take care of dinner.”

Yavia put her arms around her, watching her eyes. She was worried.

She looked into her bright blue eyes, “I know you’re worried, but we’re home, right? Nothing will happen. Go. And if you two aren’t up here when I’m finished, I will come find you. Go.” And she gave her a gentle shove toward the stairs.

Sharah made her way into the kitchen and began to pull out various items.

Sharah

Sharah turned on the stove to medium low heat and dropped the butter into the pan. She swirled until the pan was coated and placed the first in the pan. She checked and flipped and watched carefully.

Her telepathy had returned enough that Sharah could feel their presences in the house with her, was aware of them, their thoughts, and how they were feeling. Mostly worry and exhaustion.

She removed the first and placed the second. Repeating the process and then rummaging through the kitchen adding snacks to the tray to go along with. Glasses were filled and set on the tray as well.

Sharah was aware of the neighborhood around them, she had been when they drove through and now alone in the house she was acutely aware. It was between removing the second and dropping the third into the pan the noise became significantly louder as her awareness expanded. She had expected it and was working carefully, but again there was that light headedness. She reached out a hand to steady herself and hit hot stove instead of counter.

Sharah ground her teeth to keep from crying, and stuck her hand under the water. After long moments where the last burned in the pan, and some of the lightheadedness subsided, Sharah made her way to her room and her med kit, fixing the burn herself. Returning to the kitchen she threw out the burned food and started the last one again.

Yavia slipped into their bedroom and into the bathroom, slipping her hands around him from behind and placing kisses on his shoulder and neck.

Yavia

A low moan escaped Tenkiller as he let the hot water cascade down on him. He knew it was V from the sound of her footsteps, and he knew that there was only one set of footsteps. He took her hands in his and held her close to him and said “Hey you… she doing ok?”

“She insisted we take time for us instead of worrying about her all day. Said she would take care of dinner.” Yavia sighed, her breath feathering over his skin. “She’s scared, and the anticipation of it is worse. She’s not in pain right now, so that’s good.”

He let the water fall on them in silence for a long time, her arms around him and him holding her hands to his chest. “You make me really happy, V. I wouldn’t change this for all the latinum in the universe.” and he turned in her arms and took her in his. “I love you, V.” and he kissed her.

Tenkiller

Yavia tightened her arms around him, pressed close against his back, warm mental caresses soothed over him, calming and cherishing. He turned and she looked up at him. She kissed him back while the water poured over them. “TK you are the most incredible man I have ever known. I want to always make you happy. I am not sure how we got here so fast but I wouldn’t change it.” Then she kissed him again. “I love you too. Now turn around.” She grabbed the soap and lathered her hands and began to work at his shoulders and neck and then slowly down his back working at soothing tired muscles.

Yavia

His muscles were knotted together, a result of the exerertion of moving and the stress of worrying about Sharah. He put his hands on the wall to keep himself steady as V’s fingers aworked knot after knot. It was as if all of the emotional turmoil of the past two days finally caught up with him, and he suddenly became absolutely exhausted.

“V… you gotta stop or I’m gonna pass out.” he said softly and stood up and turned around. It was clearly visible on his face… he was spent. He smiled a tired smile at her and said “I feel like ten miles ‘a bad road all of a sudden.”

Tenkiller

Yavia stilled her hands and looked up at him. She kissed him softly, “Let me…let me show you how Deltans say ‘I love you.’” She placed both hands over his heart and stared up into his eyes, holding his gaze.

Mere words cannot do justice for the feeling that spread through him. It was warmth and happiness and the pleasure of being where one belongs the feeling of being yourself and knowing the other person is only themselves and the way those in love can wrap and twine about each other. Unique alone but uniquely greater together. It filled and spread to not just him but filled and spread through her as well. There were no words, just the feeling.

Tenkiller closed his eyes and lost himself in the feeling… in her. It was as if he had come after a long trip. It was as if everything simply became the way it was supposed to be.

Then she kissed him softly. “Come on. You need food and sleep.”

Yavia

“I… ya know, I don’t even have a sarcastic retort ta that. I must be tired.” he said and then grinned. “C’mon, let’s go find Sharah.” and he turned off the water and pulled two thick and luxurious towels from the shelves opposite the shower. They were warm. He looked at her and grinned. “If you’re good, I’ll tell you how to turn on the towel warmer.” and he laughed.

Tenkiller

Sharah set the tray on the bedside table and stared at the door. She could feel them in there, and what she felt didn’t bring happiness. They were worried, soul deep tired, spent, haggard even…because of her, for her. Sharah stood perfectly still as it hit her, she let it wash over her. What else could she do. It chipped and stole tiny pieces of her soul. This wasn’t right. They were so easy together, so bright, they were just peace. It was beautiful. They were amazing and she loved them deeply. She was hurting them, and it wasn’t right.

She took a breath and tried to hide it, put it away where they wouldn’t notice and not try to convince her it was okay. So they wouldn’t worry more because it was getting worse. She knew she wouldn’t sleep much, there was no reason for them not to.

There was a slight pressure on her right shoulder. Fleeting… caring… supportive… feminine. Like a hand laid gently on her shoulder telling her You will be okay. Trust them as they trust you. And then it was gone.

Sharah turned quickly looking over her shoulder, the contact had been quite real. There was no one there. At first she thought it might have been Yavia, but then who was the them? Plus Yavia needed line of sight. Sharah listened but the only people in the house were the three of them. Sharah thought maybe is she was just tired. Any other possibilities were unnerving.

Sharah put down three plates with grilled cheese sandwiches on them. Perfectly melted and toasted with the right amount of butter on crsipy bread. And that perfect amount of pull apart melty goodness. Sharah shrugged. “It’s all I know how to make.”

Sharah

With towel wrapped around his waist, Charles came into the room. He looked tired, but the smile on his face was genuine when he saw the tray. “Hell yeah! I love me some grilled cheese!” He walked up to Sharah and put an arm around her waist, pulling her to him and grinning. “But not as much as I love me some you.” and gave her a kiss that rivaled those in the trashy romance novels.

He pulled her in so fast and so tight her breath left her in a rush, and Sharah had absolutely no chance to catch it. All she could do was hold onto him and enjoy it.

Pulling back, he said “If there weren’t fresh grilled cheese, I’d probably be losing this towel right about now.” with a cheeky grin. He sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up a drink and took a healthy sip.

Tenkiller

Sharah blinked at him as her brain started to work again. She was surprised he still had the towel.

Yavia chuckled knowingly at the look on Sharah’s face. “I think she likes it.” She sat down on the bed, tucking her legs under her and took a bite of the sandwich. She closed her eyes with a happy sigh. It was decadent.

Sharah took a small bottle off the tray and then sat down, legs crossed, behind Yavia. She opened it and poured a small amount of fragrant earthy scented oil into her palm and set the bottle aside. Sharah began at the base of her skull where there was a slight headache. Her thumbs gently worked the sore spots and her fingers trailed lazily over the back of Yavia’s scalp. Sharah closed her eyes, feeling where V hurt, where she was tired and exhausted. The oil heated under her hands and soaked deep into the tissue. She worked her way down to Yavia’s left shoulder and using her Empathy and Yavia’s response Sharah knew exactly what touch helped and brought relief and what brought pleasure. Sharah wasn’t interested in the later, not then. She was focused on easing the strain she had caused.

“You didn’t cause anything of the sort. Its been an emotional and intense coupel ‘a days, is all.” Charles said as if Sharah had told him what she was thinking and feeling.

Sharah paused for half a heart beat, her eyes snapping up and watching him for a long moment as she resumed working on Yavia’s shoulders. She’d been thinking it and she was certain she hadn’t spoken into his mind. After that morning she’d promised herself she would do nothing of the sort. “I didn’t say anything.”

Around a bite of sandwich he said “Sure you did. I heard you, love. Plain as day. You said you think that you caused me and V to feel strained. And thats not true. Its all of this. Its… emotional. And I think we all are smart enough ta know that that can take a toll. It just is. Itss not you, hun.”

Yavia sat up a bit and looked at him. Sharah hadn’t said anything. She turned her head to look at Sharah. Sharah shook her head and kept working. She stared at him a long moment, not sure what to say or do. Yavia laughed, “TK she didn’t say anything. We both know she’s thinking it and she’s wrong, and you’re right. But she didn’t say it.”

He looked from one woman to another and said “Uh… huh?”

Something was wrong. Sharah wasn’t sure what to make of it, or what to do. Except get out her tricorder or drag him off to the hospital....

He looked at her, seeing her lips not move and just said “Go ahead. Get your tricorder.”

Sharah pulled the towel up over Yavia’s back to keep the oil from soaking in and drying completely and did just that. She left the room and returned with her tricorder. She had to stay objective. There were many reason that this could be happening. Humans did, after all, contain great potential for psychic talents. Most could form deep telepathic and empathic connections with Betazoids, Haliians, Cairn, Vulcans, and apparently Deltans. They could learn over time…but could two days be enough time? Or was it a combination of her own exponential talents and Yavia’s, or had she done something to fundamentally affect him that morning? She didn’t say a word, she just pulled out the hand scanner and passed it over him watching the readings.

“Stop it, Sharah.” he said softly. “Just look. You’ll figure it out.”

Sharah glanced over at him. She looked…like she had the day before at the park. She nodded, turning back watching the tricorder. She scanned him several times. “You have an increased production of psilosynine.”

Yavia put her sandwich down. “Isn’t that the neurotransmitter that controls Betazoid telepathy? You’re human.”

“Humans have trace amounts of it in their brain. It is speculated that it is what influences Human intuition, that gut feeling.” Sharah stared at the readings for a moment and then looked him in the eye. “Humans that undergo Vulcan mind melds, or commune with Bajoran orbs, or undergo other telepathically and/or empathically invasive events have a sudden increased production of psilosynine. Sometimes the effect fades, sometimes it doesn’t. In most cases those people are always more sensitive.”

Moving back over to Yavia, Sharah closed the tricorder and quietly resumed working the knots out of Yavia’s back.

Yavia moaned quietly as Sharah chased the tension out of her muscles. Sharah seemed to know exactly where she hurt and what felt the best to work it out. Yavia was in awe of the use and skill of Sharah’s gift. She didn’t know many Deltans that were that intense.

Sharah worked her way down between her shoulders, and pushing the towel out of the way she moved down her spine and the tension there. After long moments, Sharah lifted the towel back over and around Yavia’s shoulders to keep the warmth in. Yavia leaned back against her with a deep relaxed sigh. Sharah hugged her lightly. “Eat, luv. Then you can lay down and sleep.”

Yavia sighed and sat up. If the food wasn’t so good she would just fall onto the pillows and sleep.

Yavia

Then taking the bottle she moved over and sat behind Charles, intending to do the same for him.

Sharah

As she reached for him, Charles caught sight of her hand. The burn was gone of course, but the redness from the dermal regenerator remained. He caught her wrist gently and looked at her hand, now covered in oil. He looked up at her and smiled softly. He then leaned in and whispered “No secrets. Remember.” and kissed her cheek softly before turning back to his sandwich.

Tenkiller

He grabbed her wrist and she almost told him she wasn’t going to hurt him, but it wasn’t himself he was worried about. He was staring at her hand where she’d burned it. She started to tell him she wasn’t keeping secrets, but that wasn’t true. It was a minor burn, and she was able to take care of it herself. Nothing to get worried about. It wasn’t the burn, by why she’d gotten burned that she didn’t’ want to tell them. It was like he knew. It was official, Charles was unnerving her. Sharah was really still and her voice, if possible, quieter than his, “I remember.”

He let go of her wrist, but not before kissing the red skin very softly. “When you’re ready…”

She stared at his back a long moment and then picked up the bottle, poured more oil into her palms. Unlike Yavia who was working towards a general overall sense of relaxation, Sharah was precise. Each touch was exactly what was needed for each spot where he held tension, and despite or because of her touch was loving and comforting. She worked slowly and completely, her whole focus on him. When finally the last of the tension left him, she ran the palms of her hands gently over his back. She kissed his shoulder before getting up.

Sharah

“Thats it. Its official. Sharah is the house masseuse.” Charles said as he stretched and then finished his sandwich and laid down on the bed. “This time it is an invitation. Let’s all go to bed.” He stood up, dropped the towel, turned and winked at Sharah and V, and then grabbed some shorts from a drawer and pulled them on.

Tenkiller

Having finished her food, Yavia had laid back against the pillows and fallen asleep in nothing but her towel.

Yavia

Sharah looked over at Yavia and grinned. She grabbed plates and cups and placed them on the tray before pulling the blanket over the sleeping woman. She kissed him, “Go to sleep. I’m going to clean up first.” She picked up the tray and slipped out of the room. Other people’s clutter didn’t bother Sharah, but she was neat, very neat. Her counselors told her it was because she was compensating for the utter chaos in her head that she needed a very neat physical space. Sharah didn’t disagree with them. So she returned to the kitchen to clean up and put away the mess she had made. It wasn’t quite distraction enough for what was bothering her.

Sharah

Arms wrapped around her from behind and Charles said “Later, love. Right now we all need to be together. C’mon.” and he took her hand and led her down the stairs.

Tenkiller

Sharah closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her and she leaned back into him. She was....troubled and deeply worried, and felt like the moment she put a foot on solid ground it began to crumble again. She followed him back down the stairs, accepting of the fact he was going to get his way, but realizing she needed to let him, not for him, but for herself. She needed to trust them since she couldn’t trust herself.

Sharah

“But ya can…” Charles said without turning around. “…’cause if we can trust you… love you like we do… then you’re someone who deserves that trust and love. And someday you’re gonna understand why we feel about you like we do. And on that day-” and they walked into the bedroom with the sleeping Yavia on the bed in her towel and he turned to look at her, “- you are gonna be more happy than you have ever been in your life. And I cannot wait to see that.” He pulled her to him and brushed his lips against hers. “Now you need to relax. So… off with them clothes. Hot shower and bed for you.” and he kissed her solidly and with as much love as he could send to her.

Tenkiller

It did not bother her that he knew what she was thinking, not just suspected, but knew. No one around her had privacy, she could hardly expect to have her own. Not only that, he was reacting to it. That didn’t bother her either. In fact she thought it was beautifully intimate and would have made her incredibly happy if she didn’t feel so d@mn guilty about it. Her kiss was desperate in return, for believe herself what they seemed so sure of. She hurried into bathroom, closing the door behind her.

She didn’t want to wake them, disturb them. She wanted them to stay relaxed and rest. Normally she could keep her own thoughts and feelings to herself, but it was leaking out all over the place. She had very little control over that, not since the protest. She knew it would take time to trust herself and let it be. Korczak had made sure to remind her of that. It had barely been a day....a day! So much had changed and yet it hadn’t as well. She was confused and guilt ridden and....and…and hyperventilating. Right there under the scalding water. It was a panic attack, she knew that and also that it would pass. She sat under the steaming water and breathed. Panic had never helped her, it had never made anything better. She wasn’t going to give into it now, she didn’t think so anyway.

She stayed there, just breathing, letting it wash over her (literally and figuratively), until the hot water ran out and the cold made her shiver. She turned off the water and padded quietly into the bedroom after finding a towel.

Sharah

Charles sat on the bed staring at the door when it opened. “Who’s Korczak?” he asked with a smile and then stood up and walked up to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked in her eyes. “I wanted to come in. I knew you were freakin’ out. I wanted you to call me. But ya didn’t, so I let you be. But that’s what I’m talking about. That’s you keepin’ things from us, Sharah.” He wasn’t scolding her or angry. He was concerned… but even more so he was determined to help her find her peace. “You aren’t in this alone, love. Not now, not ever. When you need us… whether you want us or not… when you need us, call us. We’re never gonna think less of ya. Never. We love you, Sharah Fayth. All of ya. And no amount of freaking out is honna change that.”

Tenkiller

Sharah looked over at him, of course he wasn’t asleep. It took her a second to figure out what had prompted him to ask about Korczak. She’d been thinking about him. “He’s my therapist.” Sharah swallowed hard. It wasn’t so much keeping them out…or it was…or she didn’t know. But a part of it was trying to prove to herself that she could manage alone. Because life was cruel and whether by choice or circumstance people kept leaving. What would she do if they were both gone and she couldn’t handle it (herself or the noise) on her own? She’d end up in her quarters staring down at a loaded hypo again not knowing how she ended up to that point. Only that the noise and storms was too much an she wanted it to stop. She was fully aware Charles could hear those thoughts. It had scared the hell out of her and it’s why she’d called Korczak in the first place.

There was no judgment in his eyes, nor fear. Only absolute and unfettered love. “Sharah…” he said softly.

It was not a smile. It was a sad, ashamed, scared twitch at the corners of her mouth. Her vision became watery and she blinked several times before closing her eyes and taking a slow shuddered breath. She didn’t like that person, that woman who’d done that. “It’s why I don’t keep telepathic inhibitors in my med kit. The temptation to try when I’m overwhelmed is too much.” They were safe for normal telepaths and in normal doses safe for Sharah but they didn’t work. A dose high enough to make a difference would stop her heart.

She put her hands on his forearms. Like Yavia had told her, they were going to keep telling her until she believed it herself and then keep telling her so she didn’t forget. “I don’t think you will think less of me.” She didn’t, not at all. “It’s just…hard, I don’t know how…”

Sharah

He pulled her to him, slowly. He wrapped her in his arms and held her close, slip turning from side to side. He kissed her head and whispered “You may not know how… but we can help you figure it out. And we will.” He stopped the turning and lifted her face to his, looking her in the eye. “We have our entire lives to figure this out, Sharah. There is no rush… no schedule… no deadline we have to be done by.” He lowered his face to hers and kissed her gently, longingly, and with such grace that it seemed like time stopped just for a moment.

The way he kissed her did funny things to her stomach and made her heart ache in a good way. It made her hold on tightly from fear, and she moved closer into his arms, trusting, giving herself into their care. For that long frozen moment she found a little bit of piece and when he pulled away she ached.

He parted from her and looked at her again. “You are no doing this alone, Sharah… not anymore. And we aren’t going anywhere. I promise you.”

Tenkiller

But what if… it was a struggle to stop herself from going into a spiral. She had to allow herself to believe and trust. And really it wasn’t that hard, was it? Not with him and Yavia. She pressed her face into his chest and stood in his arms for who knew how long, but they all needed sleep and at some unspoken agreement they moved to the bed and Sharah slipped beneath the blanket.

Sharah

Charles followed her and slowly unwound the damp towel from Yavia and got her under the warm blanket as well before sliding in himself next to Sharah. He pressed himself against her and settled her into his arms, a hand resting on V’s hip. He stroked Sharah’s hair and whispred “Get some rest, hun. I love you.”

Tenkiller

Sharah settled between them, her hand slipping between his hand and Yavia’s hip. His words and his touch broke the dam just a little. She cried quietly, there wasn’t much to say, it was just emotional overload. She pressed back against him, seeking that strength and support. “I love you too.” She fell asleep very quickly afterward.

Sharah

Charles waited until her breathing was deep and regular. Appropriately, it fell into an identical rhythm to Yavia’s. Charles smiled there in the dark, and slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

The advantage to having a bedroom underground is that there are no windows to let in light. The disadvantage to having a bedroom underground is that there are no windows to let in light. So when he woke up, he had no idea what time it was or how long they had slept. They? his disoriented mind struggled to piece together the amalgamation of limbs and naked bodies in his bed. Oh yeah… he thought and smiled broadly. They were all there. Sharah… Yavia… and him. At some point in the night the three had shifted from Sharah in the middle to V. Thank all the gods that he had a large bed.

He lay there in the dark and tried to feel or hear what they were thinking. Nothing. So either both were unconscious, or the temporary ability had ready faded. He shrugged. No real loss. He still had the two of them, and they still had him and each other. All was right with the world.

Or, he hoped it was. He slowly reached over to the bedside table and tapped the chronometer. On the plus side, it was seven in the morning. On the negative side, they had just slept for… what… sixteen hours. He closed the light from the display and yawned silently as he woke up. Then he grinned.

He didn’t know whose knee it was, but he began tracing very light circles around the back of it. On one of their ribs, he very lightly began brushingbhis fingertips across their skin. Lets see if either are ticklish. he thought to himself, although he knew V’s feet weren’t.

Tenkiller

For his efforts on the back of her knee, Yavia slapped his hand, and then when it didn’t stop she grabbed his wrist and flung it away, mumbling irritatedly in her sleep and rolling over so now she was facing him. Apparently Yavia was a cuddler because her head was very quickly tucked right up under his chin, arms around his waist and let out a very deep contented sigh.

She was not asleep though, evidenced by the kisses she was gently pressing to his neck. Then she groaned painfully. She was getting knees and elbows in her back. “Geeze Sharah the bed is huge if you need room.”

Yavia