The Next Step

Posted on Saturday, 7 August 2021 - 3:29pm by Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Lieutenant Scarlet Rogers
Edited on on Sunday, 8 August 2021 - 9:36am

Mission: Operation: Lazarus

Ryan was curled up under his desk with a mug of warm non alcoholic apple cider. There was some very soft celtic sounding music playing, and the lights were at about 80%. All in all it was a rather cozy, almost romantic atmosphere for a man alone and curled into a space that was almost too small for him. He held a PaDD in one hand and the mug in the other, idly sipping as he read.

It had been a few days since Scarlet had seen Ryan. She'd been focused on writing and researching, to the point that she'd lost track of hours in a day. She supposed that wouldn't be difficult on a ship since sunrise and sunset didn't exist.

In an attempt at a break, Rogers found herself looking for Ryan. She'd checked his quarters, but further to an epiphany, tried his office. As the floor to his office opened, her heart sank a little. It seemed a bit too romantic for him to be alone, and with recent questions rolling in her head regarding his ex wife, now she struggled.

Not wanting to know what she had walked in on, she turned on her heels and went to leave, but not before sneezing. Her sneeze, however, resembled that of a small child and had been noted as entertaining to some.

Ryan was pulled from his concentration on his reading material by the sound of a familiar sneeze. “Under here.” He called, pushing his chair out of the way with his foot, but he made no move to get out from under his desk.

Scarlet jumped a little at the sudden voice, but her curiosity had been sparked. She wandered over and looked under the desk, seeing the health and safety report from trellium. "You enjoying your date?" she asked, teasing slightly.

Ryan smiled up at her. “Hello beautiful. It was written by you, so yes I am. But you here in person is much better.”

Scarlet snorted and sat on the floor. "Beautiful? Me or the report?" she teased before smiling, "also, sorry to burst the bubble, but it wasn't only me that wrote it. It was my team on Earth."

Ryan made an over exaggerated face of disapproval. “Well I didn’t want a report date with your whole team, my cider is ruined.” He teased, then reached out to tug on her ankle in an attempt to get her within kissing distance.

Scarlet couldn't help but chuckle. She shuffled a little closer and leaned in, kissing him softly. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a work break," she offered.

Ryan pondered for just a moment. “Do you know if this.” He held up the PaDD. “Got downloaded so the EMH can access it?” He asked.

Scarlet nodded, "He was built just before our Trel project, so everything we did was updated with him."

“Great. Then I think I can manage a work break. Do you have anything in mind?”

Scarlet looked around, thinking. After a moment of pondering, she finally said, "seems like a waste of romantic atmospheres to just leave here."

Ryan raised a slightly surprised brow. “You want to have a date in my office?”

"Why not? You're on call after all because of trel," she shrugged, "might as well stay close, right?"

Ryan’s grin was broad. “Actually, that sounds great. But I should probably get out from under here.” He chuckled.

Scarlet nodded, "you should, unless you want a picnic down here but this--" she gestured to his positioning, "cannot be good for your back, right, Doctor?"

“Probably not.” He agreed. He handed her his mug of cider so he could crawl out without making a mess.

Scarlet reached up and put it on the desk. Shuffling back, so he could get out a bit easier.

Once standing, he stepped closer and gave her a brief kiss. “Hold on.” He hurried around. Moving his cider to the coffee table, hanging up his lab coat, then heading to the replicator where he produced a single rose in a vase. He put it on the coffee table as well. Then gave Scarlet a rather dorky little ‘ta da’ grin.

Scarlet chuckled and put out her hand and took his, "dork." She smirked before smiling, with somewhat puppy dog eyes, "preferably one that's going to give me a back massage if he has time? Being hunched over a desk all week is just never good."

Ryan wiggled his fingers. “I’m going to start thinking you only love me for my hands.” He grinned, obviously teasing, as he maneuvered himself on the couch, where he could reach her shoulders. “You are tight.” He commented, beginning to find and work out the knots in her shoulders and upper back.

Scarlet blushed at his 'hands' comment. She made groaning noises at his hands as he helped relieve her aches, "why shouldn't I benefit from dating a doctor?"

“Very true.” He continued to work, ignoring his body's reaction to her noises. “Are you hungry?” He asked after a bit.

Scarlet nodded, "I am." She looked back over her shoulder to him, "we can talk then."

Ryan smiled, nodded, and kissed the back of her neck. He stood up, and subtly adjusted himself on the way to the replicator. “What would you like?” He asked.

"I'll have a chicken pasta salad, please," she replied, touching the back of her neck where he'd kissed, smiling a little dopily, "I've been meaning to ask you something. It's been playing on me and I want you to be blunt and honest, as I'd be with you."

Ryan returned with two plates. He sat down, then took a breath and nodded. “Yeah, ofcourse. Go ahead.” He was a bit nervous, as it sounded like it must be something serious, but he was glad she seemed to feel free to speak her mind.

Scarlet politely took a plate and mulled over her next words carefully whilst she started eating. "Why, umm, why did you feel the need to warn me about your ex wife being on Prairie?"

Ryan took a moment to process the question. “Honestly, I just didn’t want you to get blind sided, I figured it would be uncomfortable if for some reason you did run into her, and hadn’t been told ahead of time. As I said, I don’t plan on seeing her.” He sighed. “There is really nothing there, and hasn’t been for a long time, well before we got divorced actually.”

Scarlet nodded her understanding, "I trust you. I've been known to be too trusting of people -- I guess a good flaw sometimes." Scarlet took another bite before asking, "If I did meet her, would she be -- I don't know-- angry? Upset?" She paused before clarifying, "you said there was nothing there, nothing between you, but I'm giving opportunity for honesty. I'd be more blindsided by her being angry or jealous. I've been the other woman, and I didn't know. I just don't want to be hurt again."

Ryan sighed. He knew Amanda. “We didn’t end amicably. I’m not sure about jealousy, but I wouldn’t expect more than coldly civil.”

Silence fell for a moment whilst Scarlet ate, processing. She felt foolish for listening to Oriana's doubts and, indeed, to her own insecurity. Scarlet's cheeks flushed red and she felt a little guilty, "sorry for asking. I do trust you, I promise. I can be my own worst enemy at times." She offered a small, apologetic smile.

Ryan frowned. He wasn’t upset, but he was curious and a bit concerned. “It’s ok. Do you want to talk about it? Or is there anything else I can tell you?” He asked. “There is nobody else I want to be with.” He assured her. “You make me happier than I’ve ever been. I love you.”

Scarlet shook her head, "no, I'm fine. It must be that I'm overtired. I'm not a jealous or suspicious type. I never have been. I trust."

He snuggled in. “Good thing I am too. I saw Ensign Peters giving you the dopey love sick eyes.” He teased.

"Danny? Really?" Scarlet chuckled, "I thought he was-- well, preferred the company of other species."

Ryan just giggled, and kissed her on the cheek. “Why don’t you spend the night. I certainly sleep better when you’re there. Then I can feed you breakfast in bed.”

Scarlet chuckled, "it wouldn't be the first date I've had in an 'on call' room. I'd like that though. You always dote on me."

“I like doting on you.”

"I'm not complaining," she grinned, "I just need to repay the favour sometime. Maybe I should just see you more. It'll be good for both of us to take more regular breaks from working."

“You’re right. We have a horrible habit of being workaholics. We need date nights.”

"We do, but date nights are easily ruined with an emergency," she replied, "equally, you can't guarantee a lunch break for the same reason."

“Such is life. We’ll make it work.” He took her hand. “Let’s go home. I’d like to dote on you a bit this evening as well.”

"You mean 'your place'," she chuckled, correcting him, "I know I'm around a lot, but I don't live there."

“You could” Ryan blurted.

"I could what?" Scarlet asked, still chuckling and not understanding.

“Live with me.” He ran a hand through his hair. He hadn’t actually meant to ask, but now that he’d blurted it out, he desperately wanted it.

The chuckle turned to an instantly muted Scarlet. Her smile faded a little in shock. It was a next step, one she hadn't expected. "I could," she simply replied.

“Yeah?” He smiled. “You could keep your place. I mean if you ever wanted to be alone. I can help you move, and I’ll empty the dresser.” Ryan just started babbling about the details.

Scarlet put her finger on his lips to quiet his rambling. She took a breath and smiled, "I'm all in. I don't need a fallback."

Ryan beamed, then kissed her in an entirely inappropriate way for sickbay. Good thing they were in his office.

Scarlet's cheeks flushed red, and she panted a little when they came up for air, "I umm, we should perhaps continue this at home. Our home."

He actually blushed. “Yeah. Good idea.” He put his labcoat on, not bothering to clean up his office. “Let me just check out.” He put a notation into the system that he was out of sickbay.

"I'll meet you outside."