By Fleur Le Marc
80709.18
Following Pull Yourself Together
Soundtrack: Falling in Love at the Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg
----------------------------
-=Deck Four, Galley/Dining Hall; USS Alchemy=-
80709.18
Following Pull Yourself Together
Soundtrack: Falling in Love at the Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg
----------------------------
-=Deck Four, Galley/Dining Hall; USS Alchemy=-
*If I never have to decorate another freaking wedding cake in my life, it will be a very happy thing.* Fleur thought, as she piped icing along the edge of the miniature, three tiered confection she was decorating.
She had been asked to make it for the impromptu party being thrown tonight in the Alchemy's small crew dining hall, to celebrate not only Zander Blakeslee's promotion but also the impending marriage of Vol Tryst.
Fleur had had quite enough of weddings, love, and all things related to either topic.
She just didn't understand why things weren't working out.
She was no closer to Camen now than she'd been when she took the assignment aboard the flagship last year in order to be near him once again. That was a decision she had only made after a year of wandering the Earth, literally. Aimlessly, with no more sense of direction than she'd had the day she closed her small patisserie on DS23; where she had first met and fallen in love with Jariel Camen years ago.
She'd closed the bakery immediately after he'd fallen ill and gone home to try to make amends with his gods...her heart no longer there.
She hoped that by going home herself, she could find peace as well. That peace had eluded her no matter where she had traveled, until the day she was able to see Jariel smile once again.
Since returning as a daily presence in his life, she had done everything she could think of to try to win his affection.
She had tried charming him, comforting him in times of trouble, being a loyal and available friend. She had even tried to follow, to the best of her ability, the maddeningly vague but remarkably demanding visions that his very own Prophets had bestowed upon her.
Certain promises were made at those times- promises that They had not, in her estimation, held up their end of the bargain by following through on.
*They promised if I was patient, if I was present, if I tried...that he would be mine. They promised.*
She was troubled by the knowledge that she had never been farther away from him in their entire friendship than she was now, and worst of all, she had no idea what it was she'd done to end up here.
He was behaving as if she were a stranger. He wouldn't speak with her, would barely look at her and he had not even come by the Afterthought for a meal for days before they'd left the Sera.
As she ruminated about life aboard the Serendipity, for just a moment she smiled, thinking of Trick and Angus spending their shore leave rebuilding the demolished Illusions Lounge.
This was required after the fight which had ruined furniture, bruised egos, and nearly caused the suspension from duty of dozens of members of crew- until it was discovered that many of them were under some kind of alien influence and they were pardoned without the incident even making it into their permanent records.
*Alien influence.*
That was another thing.
In a way, Fleur felt sorely cheated. This Sylph species, whoever they were, had chosen from among the crew those they specifically wanted to manipulate. They brought healthy closure to some; apparently to others the effect was more distressing. Still, being Human and being left untouched by them offended Fleur somehow. Was she so common, so unworthy that they could not even bother with manipulating her mind, for good or ill?
*No one ever notices that I'm here.* She thought sadly as she picked up small bride and groom figurines and placed them gently atop the finished cake.
She thought that the figures were appropriate, considering Arie would be at this gathering in that they wore traditional Human wedding attire and were not disrobed in the Betazoid fashion. Sometimes you had to take a little poetic license, Fleur decided, sacrificing a little authenticity for the sake of common sense.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye Fleur caught sight of a familiar form moving through the tables in the galley and toward the replicator. She bolted from the kitchen.
"Vedek Jariel!" She wiped her hands on a clean towel and hurried up to him. "Wait. Do not replicate a meal. I have a pot of your favorite chicken vegetable soup ready on the stove. Let me just get you a bowl, eh? With bread and butter?"
[[No, Fleur...]] Jariel signed. [[Thank you, but I only want a glass of water. I'm not hungry.]]
Fleur observed him signing and bit her lip. "So, the rumor is not true then ah?" Her heart fluttered a little. She had heard some of the crew say that they had witnessed the Vedek speaking recently. Still, he signed.
[[I'm sorry?]]
She held her hands up to reply in kind. [[They said...that you could speak.]]
He looked at the floor.
"Can you, Jariel?"
A moment of silence came first, and then finally an admission.
"Yes."
The air was quickly pulled from Fleur's lungs at the sound of his voice. How she had missed it.
"Oh, Jariel!" Before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around him and hugged him, getting flour, frosting, and all other manner of bakery product all over his pristine black shirt.
Jariel couldn't have cared less about the mess, but he could not, would not let her embrace him.
One of the greatest shocks of the memories he had gained through his experience with the Sylph was the knowledge that in another time and place, not only had Fleur loved him but that he had cared for her enough to make her his wife.
He felt like such a fool, when he realized that her behavior should have told him a long time ago- in the here and now, she was very much in love with him as well.
How had he been so blind all these years? Why had he not noticed before the truth was forced into his consciousness? Even when the Prophets had tried, in their way, to steer him toward her. He had refused to believe that there was any merit to the idea that they could ever have feelings for each other.
Then, he experienced them as if they were happening right now, and he couldn't deny the possibility any longer.
As things stood he did care for her, but he could never love her entirely in the way that she wished.
"Fleur,” Jariel quickly unfastened her hands from his neck and backed away. "No."
"Oh, I am so sorry. Look what I've done to you." She pulled another dishtowel from her apron and began to try to wipe at his shirt. He pushed her hand away, gently but firmly.
"No."
He moved toward a table and pulled out a chair. "We need to talk."
Fleur's heart fell to the floor.
"But I,"
"Please."
She stopped objecting and sat down.
Jariel pulled the chair opposite her a little closer, but still what he felt to be a safe distance away, across the small two-top table. How should he begin? Was there a way to let her down easily?
Mlle. Fleur Le Marc
Civilian Crew
USS Serendipity/Alchemy
Civilian Crew
USS Serendipity/Alchemy