The Cold Shoulder

Posted on 18 May 2009 @ 12:16pm by Colonel Stadi Andrus

1,642 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Sick Bay
Timeline: Current

Lieutenant JG Curtiss DeHavilland rubbed his face, trying to keep his eyes open as the turbolift hummed through the interior of the vessel. He hadn't slept for at least fifteen hours and hadn't eaten in even longer. He'd done some serious damage to the Freedom's flight control systems during his creative maneuvers and the task of getting them repaired and back up to spec was daunting to say the least. It was nothing, however, to the mess he'd made for the Chief down in Engineering. Suffice it to say that if he happenned by Engineering he'd be coming down to Sick bay for an entirely different reason.

The lift finally slowed to a halt and the door's slid open, letting the smell of burnt conduits mingled with new carpet waft into the lift. With a sigh he set off down the corridor and headed for the Sick Bay.

His last meeting with the Doctor hadn't gone so well. Actually... 'disaster' would have been a better word for it. She'd left him hanging with his hand outstretched in front of the entire Bridge Staff. It was enough to hold a grudge. Of course, you did come on like a pubescent twelve year-old, he thought to himself. He shook his head loose and focused on where he was going, stepping through the door's into the Sick Bay expecting the same.

Melanie had her hands busy between concussions, a severely lacerated arm , broken ankle and the usual bumps and bruises that were caused during an engagement. She suddenly missed her quiet office at Starfleet Medical or the quiet home she had shared with Talar. She shook her head, ~Another life, one forgotten.~ She thought to herself as she mended the broken ankle. It was a simple fix, a clean break. "Ok Ensign, good as new." She smiled. "Try not to be on your feet too long or you will be back to see me." She finished giving her instructions and sent the ensign on her way.

Melanie was heading back to her desk to complete the files that were now piling up on her desk when she heard the doors swish open. She turned and saw him standing there. "Can I help you?" She asked with a smile, a completely different reaction than the one she had given him during the briefing.

CJ stalled at the Doctor's reaction before shaking his head loose and continuing.

"Sorry to bother you Doc, but I never did get to drop by and get my check-up physical. There was just too much going on." he said, "Do you have time, or should I come back later?" he asked.

"I didn't even have a sickbay until right before the battle started." She said walking towards him. "I am missing most of the crews files but I guess now is as good of time as any."

"Great." CJ smiled, taking a seat on the nearest Bio-bed. "Were there a lot of injuries from the battle?" he asked.

"Not as many as I had expected." She said picking up the tricorder.

"Good." he replied, a bit more timidly than he normally did, "I got a little... creative with my maneuvers." he said, smiling wryly. "I probably ought to steer clear of Engineering for a while." he added with a chuckle.

"That would be a good idea. I don't need more wounded back in my sickbay. I just got it cleaned up."

CJ smiled, it was complete one-eighty from their last meeting. Maybe she was just having a bad day, he thought to himself.

He sat quietly for a few moments, watching as she waved the scanner node around him. "So... your first time as CMO?" he asked, trying to continue the conversation.

"First time aboard a ship as a CMO. I worked at Starfleet Medical." Before she gave everything up for Talar and now she is back in Stafleet and they were seperated once again.

CJ thought he saw the glimmer of something pass over the Doctor's eyes, like a distant memory rearing its head. He shook the opportunity to ask about it off and smiled politely back. "Should be quite an experience then." he replied, "Out here on the front lines." he added with a smile.

"I did this as a favour to a friend...nothing more."

"Must be some friend then." he replied, again smiling impishly at her before looking around the Sick Bay curiously.

"The position needed to be filled." She replied looking at the tricorder instead of the man. His thoughts and emotions were distracting. She shielded her mind against them.

"Just because you're doing it as a favor doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself while you're out here." He replied.

"I didn't say that I wasn't enjoying myself did I?" Melanie smiled. She was happy to be aboard a ship but sad and worried about Talar.

"Well then, you won't say no to a jaunt on the holo-deck then will you?" he replied quickly, oozing every bit of charm he could find.

"Fantastic idea! It is just what the crew needs after what we have been through! A mixer!"

CJ started to reply, but stopped short. That was by no means what he had intended.

"Well...that's not exactly what I had in mind." he replied, a little off guard. "I was thinking something more... well somewhere to get to know you a little better Doctor. Without the rest of the crew." he added.

Melanie had known what he had meant but was hoping that her last comment would stop him from continuing. "As in a date correct?"

CJ shook his head, still smiling impishly. "Well, since you mentioned it." he chuckled.

"Well...I don't know." She turned away from him letting him believe that he had made her blush. Melanie pretended to be working with the tools on her table.

"Look." CJ said, hopping off the bio-bed. "Its just an outing. Two people enjoying each other's company. There's no need to define it as any more than that." he said soothingly. Something about her had him a bit off guard and he wasn't sure if he was just that smitten or if her body language was just that different.

~Ok enough was enough. ~ She had let this 'innocent act' go on far enough. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant...I am involved with someone else."

CJ grinned, "Is that right?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Do tell." he added, calling what he thought was her bluff.

She sighed. "This bracelet was his grandmother's. He gave it to me the day we got engaged. Now if you will excuse me I have work that needs to be done."

"Ah, well, begging your pardon Doctor. I'll just get out of your way." he replied, turning towards the door. He paused in the doorway just before the doors could slide open, suddenly thinking better of his quick words. "My offer still stands." he said quietly. "Should things... change." he added, dissapearing through the doors before she could reply.

Melanie still had the hypospray in her hand...she had intended to inoculate C.J. against radiation poisoning. She sighed as she hit her Comm badge.

=^=Hemmingway to DeHavilland...please report back to sickbay.=^=

CJ paused two feet from the Sick Bay and looked down at his feet, biting his lip in frustration before pulling the front of his uniform down and slowly turning back towards the Sick Bay. He stepped back through the doors.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked.

She held up the hypospray in her hand. "Sorry I forgot about the inoculation."

CJ smiled tersley and approached.

"Please sit back on the biobed...some people have been known to faint from this medication." She replied.

CJ quietly sat on the bed and found a distant spot on the wall to stare at while awaiting his shot.

Melanie smiled inwardly, apparently CJ didn't take rejection very well. ~He must not be used to women resisting his 'charms'.~ She thought to herself. She placed the hypospray to his neck and gave him his inoculation.

As soon as she took the spray away from his next, he slid off the bed and no sooner than his feet hit the floor, he felt his head swimming and his balance quickly fading away. He tried to grab the bed but instead fell forward, the Doctor quickly putting herself in the way to hold him up. He held her by the shoulder and looked up at her, suddenly completely helpless. With his ego suddenly checked by the change in his body, he looked into the Doctor's eyes. He felt a genuine pang of longing. Not the pubescent desire for something attractive, but a genuine longing for something different. As the world began to come back into focus and he felt those emotions so close to the surface he quickly buried them lest the betazoid notice them.

"I'm ok." he said, letting his mind refocus and taking a seat back on the bed at the Doctor's urging. "Just a little lightheaded." he chuckled, smiling roguishly. "Rejected and then laid out, you trying to take me down Doc?" he joked.

"Careful lieutenant." She said helping him back to the biobed. She had warned him that fainting was a possibility. "And no CJ...I'm not trying to take you down." She smiled. ~Unless you pull a stupid stunt...~ She thought to herself.

CJ took a moment to get his equlibrium back and then smiled wickedly at the Doctor. "Can I go now?" he asked.

"Yes, you're finished here for now. If you are still feeling sick please come back." She turned away from him and was reorganizing the tray in front of her.

Lieutenant Melanie Hemmingway
Chief Medical Officer
USS Freedom

Lieutenant JG Curtiss 'CJ' DeHavilland
Chief Flight Controller
USS Freedom

 

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