Aftermath

Posted on Mon Sep 27th, 2021 @ 5:43am by Lieutenant Vira Vemre [Whavi] & Lieutenant JG Damien Blackford
Edited on on Mon Sep 27th, 2021 @ 5:43am

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Damien's Quarters
Timeline: MD8 0400
2743 words - 5.5 OF Standard Post Measure

There was a deep sadness that hung heavy in the air aboard the Elysium. Recent events had everyone on edge, the lose of life was immeasurable and for what? Vira had gone over the report of all missing and deceased people twice, the first time she failed to finish it before tears fell from her eyes. Not seeing his name among the others was such a relief to her she cried even more.

Less then an hour later she was speed walking down the corridor towards his quarters, it was so early in the morning she knew she should be going to her own quarters to sleep but she couldn't wait any longer. She wanted to see with her own two eyes that he was okay. That he was here. Vira's slightly swollen eyes widened when she got to his door. She hit to chime but was so impatient she knocked three times as well. Then waited, biting her bottom lip.

Damien sat in his quarters, aware of the early hour, and well aware that he should be asleep right now, nursing a small glass of whiskey. He wasn't normally one to drink, but after the events of the last few hours, he needed something. This had been his first proper mission, and he couldn't help but think about all of the death he had just witnessed. Sure, they warned you about it in the Academy, his own father had warned him about it, but seeing it first hand was something completely different. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the list of missing and deceased. Part of him was terrified of seeing her name. And he didn't know if he could handle that right now.

Hearing the chime to his quarters, he glanced up but didn't move. Whoever it was, it could wait till morning. Then came the insistent knocking. Sighing, he put his glass down on the table, and stood up, ready to give whoever was there a piece of his mind. Didn't they know better than to go around banging on people's doors this early in the morning?

The door swished open, and he opened his mouth to start speaking, but the shout died on his lips as he realized who it was. There was silence for a few seconds, as he blinked a few times, making sure that he wasn't imagining her, before stepping forward, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug, not saying a word.

Vira made a noise that sounded somewhere between a gasp and a sob. She reached her arms up and wrapped them tightly around Damien's neck the same moment he embraced her. “Damien….” She whispered against his neck and closed her eyes as tight as she could in an attempt to contain the dam of tears that threatened to run in streams down her cheeks.

Damien pulled her close, closing his eyes, choking back a sob as he held her tight. "Vira." He mumbled, his hand gently stroking the back of her head. "I was so scared. I thought...." He trailed off, not even wanting to finish the thought.

Unable to speak around the sob lodged in her throat Vira shook her head in understanding against Damien's neck. Warm tears slipped through her closed lids but she took in a few deep breaths and hugged him even tighter. After a few moments, she felt brave enough to pull back and look him in the face. "There were so many...bodies...so much blood everywhere." She cringed knowing the sliver of relief she felt every time she confirmed a lifeless body on the floor hadn't belonged to Damien. She knew it was selfish.

He held her tight against him, scared off letting her go. Scared that if he did, he might never hold her again. But when she pulled back, he loosened his grip on her, but she kept his arms locked around her. He let out a shaky sigh, light blue eyes meeting soft hazel ones. He reached his hands up, gently brushing her tears away with his thumbs.

"It's okay." He whispered softly. "You're safe. I'm safe. We're both okay." As the words left his mouth, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt growing in his stomach. Yes, they were safe. But what about the countless others who weren't. What gave him the right to still be here, when countless others were gone?


Vira gazed up at Damien feeling more reassured by his words then she expected to be. Part of her knew she should apologize for knocking on his door so late at night… or so early in the morning rather, but she wasn’t sorry. Not in the least. Now that she knew he was safe and the pit in her stomach seemed to lessen.

She closed her eyes when his thumbs rubbed the wet streaks from her cheeks. Sighing deeply by how the small gesture comforted her, she thought she would be embarrassed losing control of her emotions in front of him but she didn’t feel that way at all.

“Did I wake you?” She could tell he hadn’t been sleeping, the hint of whisky on his breath warmed her nose, but she asked anyway.

He shook his head, sighing shakily. "Couldn't sleep." He said softly. Every time he tried, images of the mission, the dead bodies, the sounds of the crew screaming ringing in his ears.

Clearing his throat, he stepped back slightly and gestured into the doorway. "Would you like to come in?" He asked gently.

When Damien stepped back Vira’s hand found his. There was a flashing moment of fear when he moved to make room for her to enter. She refused to let go of him even for a moment, still not truly believing he was standing before her unharmed. Maybe it was because she was exhausted, or maybe it was something more. She didn’t know.

Vira stepped forward allowing the door to close behind her. The room seemed too quiet, too dark. Nothing like it had the last time she had been in there. Still she held onto Damien, intertwining her fingers with his. She was quiet as her eyes found their way back up to his. She wanted to smile, to joke and tease him, anything to brighten the mood, but everything just seemed so… heavy.

Damien's hand took her's, fingers intertwining, squeezing tightly. Partly to reassure her that he was there for her, partly to remind himself that she was still stood in front of him.

As they entered the apartment and the door swished shut quietly behind them, Damien spoke quietly, "Computer, lights to 65%." There was a second as the computer took his command, then the room was slowly bathed in a soft glow, making it seem a little warmer and inviting. As they stopped in the middle of the room, he turned to face her again, wrapping his arms back around her, he found himself staring into her eyes once more, feeling the pit of dread in his stomach starting to disperse. She was okay, he kept reminding himself. Yes, it was selfish, but right now, part of him didn't care.

"Would you like something to drink?" He asked. "Or to eat, maybe?"

A small smile spread across Vira's lips at the memory of him in the apron but the queasy feeling started swirling in her stomach again. "I don't think I could eat. Not after..." She just shook her head before glancing around the now warmly lit apartment. She caught site of the drink glass on the table. "A drink on the other hand I think I could do."

He caught the smile, and couldn't help but smile in return. Even now, it was infectious. But it quickly faded at her words, nodding. "Yeah." He said quietly. "I understand." He sighed shakily, running a hand nervously through his hair,. nodding. "Of course. What do you want?"

Her brows pinched together, "Do you happen to have anything strong, not from a replicator?" She asked hopefully.

He couldn't help but chuckle slightly, nodding. "I have a bottle of whiskey, some Vodka, a bottle of Vulcan brandy, and some Bajoran Springwine."

Her hazel eyes lit up, "Whiskey." Her voice came out rough and quiet. Her attention fell to their joined hands, sooner or later she was going to have to release him from her grasp, regardless of her protests.

He nodded, squeezing her hand, not moving from their position. He knew that he needed to let her go, but he couldn't bear to. Eventually, taking a deep breath, he slowly pulled away from her, gesturing to the sofa. "Make yourself comfortable." He said quietly, walking over to a nearby cabinet, taking a bottle and glass down, moving quickly, wanting to get back to Vira as quickly as possible. Even though she was only a few steps away, it felt like a country divided them.

Vira's breath caught the moment she stepped away, she knew she needed to pull herself together. Her emotions were in overdrive after resent events, the lack of sleep wasn't helping but she knew it would be useless, she would end up lying there with her mind racing for hours.

When Damien picked up the whiskey bottled Vira found the strength to make her way to the couch and plop down in the middle. Kicking off her shoes she curled up, hugging her knees to her chest and stared straight ahead lost in the memory of the Outkast that had accompanied her and Baeryn to the battle bridge...except he hadn't made it. Panic started to flood her as she couldn't recall his name. A burn started behind her eyes as the tears gathered again.

Turning back to the sofa, Damien quickly made his way back over to her, sitting next to her, pouring her a glass of whiskey, and then refilling his own glass. Picking them both up, he handed one to her, then wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling closer. Looking down at her, he bit his lip, noticing the reappearance of her tears. "Hey. What's wrong?" He asked. Alright. Stupid question. With everything that had happened over the last couple of hours, any number of things could be bothering her. "It's alright. You can talk to me about anything. What's rattling around in that big brain of yours, Miss V?" He asked, using his small nickname for her in an attempt to make her feel a little more at ease.

After accepting the drink Vira laughed through her tears, "Are you telling me I have a big head?" She couldn't put a finger on how it felt to hear the nickname he had for her. She was sure no one had ever given her a nickname outside of the one she had given herself. It made her feel lighter, like it was a bit easier to breath.

Damien smiled to himself, feeling the all familiar ball of warmth start to flare up inside himself that he felt whenever he was around her. It was good to hear her laugh. God knows they were going to need it in the coming days and months.

“Maybe.” He said, shrugging slightly. “But you’re cute, so it’s fine.”

Vira's pink lips made a small O. False shock filling her expression." She tapped him lightly on the chest with the back of her hand. "Your supposed to be nice to me!" She teased. She was happy that it was so easy to be around Damien.

Damien grinned, chuckling some more, grabbing her hand with his before she could pull it away. “I am being nice.” He protested. “I called you cute. And I’m sharing my very real, non-replicated whiskey with you. If that isn’t being nice, I don’t know what is.” He teased back. Despite everything that had happened, it was nice to know that being with Vira made everything seem a little brighter. And a little easier. If he was going to make it through the following days, he was glad to have her at his side.

The hand he caught relaxed in his. Vira smiled at him as she brought the glass to her nose and took a deep inhale of the whiskey. Satisfied with the drinks woodsy aroma she took a long sip. It burned her throat and caused her eyebrows to pinched. "Okay, maybe you are a little nice." She gave him a smirk as she looked at him over her drink.

He smiled as he intertwined their fingers once again, squeezing her hand gently, taking a sip of his drink, closing his eyes as the liquid burned in his throat, adding to the growing pit of heat in his stomach. “Only a little bit nice?” He repeated back to her, raising his eyebrow at her, smirking slightly.

"Yeah, just a little. "Vira shrugged both her shoulders playfully, "I would like to think your very nice, but you haven't kissed me yet so..." She let her words trail off as she took another sip.

Damien raised an eyebrow at her, thrown off guard by her words for a second. Of course he’d wanted to kiss her. He’d wanted nothing more from the moment he’d seen her outside his door. Part of him had held back though. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe because if he tried too, it might break the illusion, and it would all turn out to be a dream.

Biting his lip, he put his glass down on the table, reaching over and taking hers, placing it next to his, then gently cupped her face in his hands, tracing the curve of her lips with his thumb, before slowly moving in, pressing his lips gently against hers, the fire in his stomach exploding as their lips met once again.

Vira forgot how to breath. He was looking at her differently in that moment before he took her glass. Hungrily. Her nerves were racing freezing her in place as his thumb ran across the soft skin of her lips. Part of her hadn't expected him to kiss her, she had hoped he would but wasn't sure if she had any right to.

She returned the kiss, the warm taste of whiskey on his lips and tongue. It did more then warm her mouth, it sent a brazing fire through her veins. Her hand reached up and fisted in his shift to pull him closer.

Damien closed his eyes as one hand reached behind her, gently wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer into him, his other hand moving to the back of her neck. He never wanted this feeling to go. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and the nerves in his body were on edge. Maybe it was the alcohol? Or the fact that a few hours ago he’d been terrified that he’d never see her again? He didn’t know. All he knew was, he never wanted to risk losing her again.

The fire that warmed her when Damien kissed her was as close to the Risans sun as she had ever felt in space. Getting lost in the taste and smell of him came as no surprise. She wasn't sure how long their lips met for, but when she finally broke the kiss she could still feel the tingling in her slightly swollen lips. She was breathing heavily still when she leaned her forehead against his keeping her eyes closed as she spoke. "Okay, I now deem you an extremely nice person."

When she finally broke the kiss, Damien kept his eyes closed, holding himself close to her, breathing heavily as he grinned and chuckled slightly. “Well thank you.” He mumbled, the hand on her waist gently pushing under her shirt, his thumb slowly starting to trace soft circles on her lower back. “But now I have to ask. If that deems me ‘extremely nice’, what do I need to do to be deemed a fantastically nice person?” His voice adopting a gentle teasing tone.

Vira smirked at his question. It was difficult to form words when her mind was reeling, his touch felt softer, warmer then it had before. More confident and sure. "It's a five step process to be granted such a title, but I would be willing to assist you. If that's what you want."