by Captain Will Lindsay
81106.20
-=Soundtrack: Where the Streets Have No Name
by U2=-
The day after The Last Word
-=County Cork, Ireland; Earth=-
81106.20
-=Soundtrack: Where the Streets Have No Name
by U2=-
The day after The Last Word
-=County Cork, Ireland; Earth=-
William Lindsay was a man of his word, and as such, was standing on the O'Sullivans' doorstep promptly at seven fifty-five in the morning.
A woman of hers as well, Zanh Liis appeared at said door precisely at seven fifty-nine.
Will said little as they walked to the transporter hub, only telling her to close her eyes as he gave the coordinates of their destination to the transporter operator.
After they arrived at their intended location, he finally spoke again.
"Welcome to Scotland."
Liis opened her eyes to find she was standing in a field, beneath the shade of a large tree and alongside a narrow, dirt road.
"Looks a hell of a lot like Ireland."
"Blasphemy! Bite your tongue, woman! You haven't seen anything yet, but you will." He moved out of her direct line of sight, revealing something to her that appeared just too good to be true.
"I don't believe it."
The vintage, bright red convertible automobile looked completely authentic, like something you'd see on the holodeck only so much better, because it was real.
"No internal combustion engine, I warn you. Damned environmental protection laws." Will complained, only half-joking. "But she moves pretty well."
Liis didn't care what was under the hood, as long as there was rubber against the road and the thing took off when she pressed her foot down on the gas.
"Care to drive?" He tossed her they keys and Liis' eyes lit up.
"Are you kidding?" She slid into the car, turned the key in the ignition and gave a low, deep laugh as the engine began to hum.
"Lindsay, if you were trying to impress me..." she looked up and gave him the trademark, lopsided grin that Keiran had so accurately described to him in times past as 'utterly disarming'. "...you've succeeded."
Will smirked. "Always let the woman drive, that's what O'Sullivan taught me." He winked at her.
"Did he, now?"
"Yes, and I'm happy to ride shotgun." He slid into the passenger seat and closed the door.
"Where to?" She had no idea where he wanted to go, if anywhere in particular.
"That road there, right? The one winding off into the distance as far as you can see?"
Liis nodded.
"Just drive."
*Perfect.*
She threw the car into gear and slammed on the accelerator. The screeching of tires was heard in addition to the roar of her laughter as Will was pinned helplessly back into his seat. A cloud of dust was kicked up behind them as they sped off at a high rate of speed.
He didn't say a word- but he did reach for his seatbelt.
After he was secured into place, he slid an isolinear chip into the dashboard and music began to play.
With the wind in her hair, fresh air in her lungs and open road stretching endlessly into the distance, Liis was a very happy woman. "I'm beginning to understand why Keiran tolerates you."
"Tolerates? Man adores me. You adore me too, admit it."
"Never." She glanced over at him, squinting as the bright sunlight burned her eyes. "Zanh Liis admits nothing, to no one."
"What about Liis O'Sullivan?" Will reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a pair of sunglasses, handing them to her.
"Damn, you do think of everything don't you?" She put them on, noting that he'd even brought a pair that took into account the very un-Terran bridge of her nose.
"Don't try to change the subject. You may be able to pull that on poor K, because he's madly in love with you. Sorry to disappoint, ZL, but I have no such weakness where you're concerned."
"I'll grieve until the day I die." She droned in sarcastic monotone, adjusting the rearview mirror and pleased to find there were no other vehicles of any kind showing in it. "What do you want me to admit to you, Lindsay?"
His reply was remarkably blunt and devoid of all humor. "That you love him every bit as much as he does you."
Liis gripped the wheel.
"You have to hear it? You can't tell just by the way that I," she shrugged her shoulders, realizing that no, he didn't know her well enough to know it just by observing the way she looked at Keiran.
"I'd like to hear it. I did just legally marry the two of you off to each other, you know. I think it's a fair request."
"Have it your way." Once again, her grasping fingers alternately released and strangled the wheel.
"I love him, Will."
She spoke the words without hesitation and loud enough to ensure she'd be heard over the music blaring from the stereo speakers.
Much more quietly, she added another remark that he was still able to make out clearly. "So much, it utterly terrifies me."
*Now I'm hearing truth.* Lindsay thought. Satisfied, he tilted his seat back and propped his feet up onto the dashboard.
Gazing up at the unobstructed, clear blue sky, he sighed with rare contentment. He was comfortable enough with her, and in his own skin, to allow him to travel with her in silence for awhile. Small talk was not what he was after this day, and he would know when the time was right to really get down to business.
They went on that way for a good hour; with him not saying a single word, just watching the beautiful scenery roll past.
For her part, Liis was just as content to drive, breathe, and simply exist in this span of time with no other demands upon her but keeping her eyes on the road and her hands on the wheel.
Finally, he sat upright again in his seat. "Go on for about another tessipate up the road, turn left. Then stop." He instructed.
Liis found it charming that he used a Bajoran unit of measurement to give her directions. "Aye, Captain."
They continued without conversation until Liis observed a fence up ahead and stopped. Will hopped out of the convertible and opened the gate.
"I'm not going to end up in Scottish prison for trespassing if we go in there, am I?" She called, hesitant to continue.
He laughed. "It's my land, ZL. Don't you worry. Park under those trees and we'll take a walk, if you're up for it."
Liis did just as told. "What is it with you European guys?" she straightened her wind-blown hair as she exited the vehicle. "You're all land barons and no one knows it?"
"Tradition, Zanh Liis. Terrans tend to be very traditional people. It's part of our charm, I'm told."
He was, in fact, purposely neglecting to tell her that he'd actually been born into great wealth and to a family that was once considered of 'noble blood'.
He had done all he could to distance himself from what he considered to be their meaningless, empty existence; and so never brought up his childhood of privilege to anyone.
He would have felt especially ridiculous doing so with Liis, considering her upbringing on Bajor.
He'd felt very much embarrassed about it when he first knew Keiran, because O'Sullivan had worked long and hard for everything that he'd ever had. Just as his father and grandfather had before him.
Fortunately, Keiran was not someone to judge anyone based on where they'd come from; only upon who they were.
"So it is." Liis stretched from side to side slowly, her back stiff after their drive. "Any direction in particular?"
"The views are nice in that direction." Will indicated, pointing.
"Lead on." She fell into step at his side, and after awhile they came to a comfortable spot in the middle of nowhere and plunked down into the grass.
"So," Liis said, leaning back against the ground and staring up at the sky. "You didn't bring me all the way out here just to let me play chauffeur."
"No. Didn't." He admitted, rubbing his intentionally five-o'clock-shadowed chin.
"Why did you, then?"
"To satisfy my curiosity. He's got you up there on quite a tall pedestal, you know. Wanted to see if you'd earned it."
"No." Liis replied quickly, rolling onto her side and propping herself up on one elbow. "I have not, and I cannot. No one could earn the right to be treated as well as he treats me."
Will smiled gently. "That is where you'd be wrong. I saw the way you were with your crew at the wedding. The way you are with him. When I listen to you speak," he nodded slowly. "I understand what Keiran sees."
Liis felt her cheeks burn. Knowing how highly Keiran held Will's opinion of anything, or anyone, she could think of no greater compliment.
"What about you?" He turned the question on her. "You didn't come all the way out here to play chauffeur to me."
"Damn right I didn't." She sat up again, brought her knees to her chin and wrapped her arms around them. "I wanted to get you alone so I could get the story from your perspective."
"Which story would that be? There are far too many to tell in one day."
"How you two came to be paired as partners in the first place." She tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear and began to fiddle with her earring. "Keiran is reluctant to talk about it, and I didn't want to push him. I know he trusts you more than any other man he's ever known, and I'm just,"
"Curious." Lindsay finished the sentence for her. "You see, Zanh Liis? Curiosity is a very potent thing, isn't it."
"Very."
"Well, I certainly remember it well enough to tell the story to you, if you really want to know. But I warn ya," his steel-blue eyes took on a swirling darkness. "To hear it, about how he was when we met? Might very well break your heart."
-=Flashback: Alternate timeline: 2377: Headquarters of Temporal Investigations=-
"Good afternoon, I'm William Lindsay. I hear we're to be partners."
The twenty-nine year old Lieutenant Senior Grade walked into the darkened office and nearly tripped over a large potted plant which sat beside the door.
His eyes adjusted slowly to the dim lighting level, and after a moment he felt able to move forward with some sort of confidence as to where he was actually going.
He approached the desk at the opposite end of the room, speaking to a man with sandy blond hair and a trim, full beard.
The man sat still and silent, hands folded before him as he stared off into space.
"Yes, hello," Will repeated, tempted to wave his hand directly in front of the man's face but thinking it would not be the best way to introduce himself to his new boss.
"Commander O'Sullivan?"
=^=Captain William Lindsay
Currently on Earth
Currently on Earth