538: Movie Night

by Jariel Camen
80929.20
After Stop the Falling

-=Takesian Plains, Bajor=-

“We should get her to the medical tent, so she can rest. Just to be safe.”

The medic closed his scanner, and reached for the bandages. Fleur’s wounds were not deep, but they would need to be covered to prevent infection.

“Let me help you.” Camen requested. He reached for the bandage

-=Flashback: Years Ago: Alternate Timeline=-

“Ah, you see my darling. The young lady has the crush.”

Camen laughed, as he watched the young woman, by the name of Amélie try to work her way into the heart of the man whom was the object of her affection, while simultaneously attempting to overcome her own shyness. Fleur had insisted he watch this movie, and he understood why.

Much like the young woman in the film, she had had to work her way into his heart, though she was not as shy as Amélie. He marveled as he watched at the simply beauty of the French architecture and landscape. It was romantic and peaceful, like his own homeworld that he adored so much.

“What is Moulins?” Camen asked, looking that the awning above the café. Of course, in Standard the pronunciation was butchered.

“No no, like this.” Fleur turned his face towards hers, and mouthed the words very slowly. “Mou… lins.” Her voice was low and sultry as she spoke, holding his gaze with hers.

“Well I suppose the meaning is not important when you say it like that.” Camen smirked.

“Windmills.” She whispered, then stole a kiss upon his lips. “It means windmills. Your next required viewing will have windmills as well. I must get my tea, Camen.”

Fleur attempted to rise, but Camen stopped her. “I’ll get it, you’ve been on your feet all day, let me.”

“So have you.”

Camen ignored her comment, paused the film, and rose from his seat. Fleur merely shrugged. If he was determined to spoil her and serve her tea, then so be it. He spoiled her so much they had to take turns, so she could be sure she got to spoil him as well.

She laid back into the cushions of their love seat, and wondered how she had ever been so lucky to share this home with him. Her influence was everywhere, because she knew he liked it that way. Every decoration perfectly placed to provide him a reminder of their love at every turn.

Her reverie was interrupted by a cry of pain from the kitchen. In a flash, she was off the loveseat and at his side. He was cradling his wrist.

“What happened?” She asked, looking at his arm.

“Nothing, I’m fine, just a little hot water splash.”

“Let me see it, my Camen.” Reluctantly he removed his hand. The burn was small and superficial, but still her concern for him was anything but small and superficial.

“Oh, no no, zis will not do at all.” She opened the cabinet, and retrieved the dermal regenerator.

“It’s really not a big deal,” He said, as he sat down on the white hardwood chairs in the kitchen.

“It is a part of you, and that makes it ze biggest deal in all ze Universe. My Camen can have no pain, inside or out.” She ran the device over his arm, and soon all traces of the burn were replaced by healthy skin.

“Now, let’s finish our movie, so we can move onto the other entertainment, no?”

Camen smiled, running his hands over his skin, and feeling no pain. It really was not a bad wound, but he knew when she wished to treat his pain, there was nothing to do but indulge her.

She moved to the counter, and stirred the tea he had poured her. Always fresh strained with real leaves. No bags, no replicators. She felt his gaze upon her, and turned around, and grinned.

“What?” She asked.

“It’s nothing Fleur. You’re just, lovely.”

“Thank you, Monsieur Camen.” She said, blushing. “You are not correct, but you are sweet.”

He picked up her cup to carry it for her. “Come,” He requested, and brought her back to the living room. He set her cup down, and curled up next to her. He turned the film back on, and she rested her head upon his chest.

“Camen?”

“Yes, Fleur?”

“Will you always hold me like this? It is so safe here.”

“Of course.” He promised. “Je t’aime.” His French was only beginning to take form, but he easily remembered her first lesson.

-=End Flashback=-

Camen unfurled the bandage, and set it down. The medic handed him an alcohol wipe, and Camen ran it over the scrape on her arm. He was glad she was sleeping, because no doubt this would have hurt if she were awake. He held her arm, and wrapped the bandage around it, attaching it with a piece of tape. When they got her proper attention, a dermal regenerator would clear up the wound, but he wished for no infection to even have the chance to set in until then.

“Is she all right?” Prylar Delle asked, sticking her head into the room.

“We think so,” Camen said. Delle watched as he wrapped each of her wounds with great care.

“Do you know her?” Delle asked, noting how familiar Camen seemed to be acting with Fleur.

“Yes, I do.” He replied.

“Oh, how well?”

“Very,” was all Camen said. He honestly was not even sure how to answer that question. He knew only as he looked at the progress around him, and her dirty, bloodied skin as she extracted Tress from the well, that this Fleur was truly the woman whose affections he had been blinded to for so long. A woman of the people, who had done so much for the land he loved, and, his memories told him, for him as well.

“I’ll get the stretcher,” The medic said, as they prepared to move her.

“That will not be necessary.” Camen said. Again he gathered her up into his arms. He swore for a moment that perhaps there was a smile on her face. The medic opened the door and he cradled her head as they left the building for the walk to the tent which posed as the infirmary.

As they walked, she awoke for a moment, and once again saw his face, and felt his arms around her.

“Vedek Jariel, did I die?”

“No Fleur. Rest.”

“Tress?” She asked, remembering the child.

“Healthy and comfortable.”

“Why are you here?” She asked, finally.

She was still groggy, and he knew she was barely aware of her surroundings.

“To find what I’ve been missing.” He said. Her eyes once again closed as they approached the medical tent. Jariel set her down on the bed, and saw the Doctor working still on the child Tress.

“How is the baby?” He asked.

“Doing well, but I need to keep an eye on her lungs. She inhaled a lot of dust in the well collapse. How is Ms. Le Marc?”

“Vedek Jariel treated her wounds himself. Fleur will be fine until you can treat her with the regenerator.” The medic said.

A young man near Tress approached Jariel. “You helped her?” Gillan Pace asked.

“Yes I did. Why do you ask?”

“I am Tress’s brother. I just wanted to thank you for helping Ms. Le Marc. Without her none of us would have anything, and I wouldn’t have my sister. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine.”

“How much of this is she responsible for?” Jariel asked, indicating their surroundings.

“All of it.” Pace said. “She just dropped out of the sky with supplies and money and spirit. She builds all day and then makes evening meal for everyone. She sleeps with one eye open, watching over all of us. What more can I say?”

“You’ve told me all I could ask to know, thank you.”

“How do you know her?” Pace asked.

“I’m an old friend. Don’t worry, you have my word she’ll be looked after. Tend to your sister.” Pace nodded, and left to check on Tress and the Doctor.

Jariel once again sat beside Fleur. She was resting comfortably for now, exhausted from the day’s work.

“Pace, what was Fleur doing when the emergency happened?”

“Preparing the evening meal.”

“Well, if she was preparing evening meal, who finished it?” Camen asked.

“No one. I guess we skipped the meal amidst all the panic.”

Camen nodded, and looked down at Fleur. He patted her hand, and promised to check in on her later.

“Can you show me the kitchen, Pace?”

“Of course, Vedek.”

Pace led Jariel to the kitchen, where several workers and civilians milled about.

“Where’s Fleur?”

“Hurt, but doing ok.” Jariel said. “Give me an hour.”

He was determined that Fleur’s kitchen would be manned, and feed the people tonight. He knew she would wish this above all else. As he stepped into the kitchen, he saw the remains of a large pot of soup, which had long since gone cold.

He looked into the pot, and breathed the scent in. How familiar this soup was. How many times she had set it on the table for him, with a piece of bread on the side, without him ever needing to ask for it? All she had ever wanted in return was a smile and a thank you to brighten her day and quicken her heart.

Unfortunately this pot had been a victim of the day’s activities, and had to be set aside.

He cleared the pot, and filled new with fresh water. He turned and entered the pantry. Camen was not ambitious enough to try and recreate the soup, and if Fleur were consistent in her organizing techniques, the noodles would be kept in the third cabinet.

He opened the cabinet door, and found a large supply of jams and jellies. He smiled, thinking no two people were exactly like, even if those people were the same person living in alternate timelines. Behind the fourth door her found a supply of noodles and a large jar of sauce.

He poured the noodles into the pot of boiling water, and the sauce into an empty pan. Feeling somewhat ambitious after all, he also attempted mixing cream and cheese together to make an alfredo sauce. Fleur had taught him how, in another life, but his memory was fuzzy at best of the exact directions. This would either wow the crowd, or he would kindly be asked to never set foot in Fleur’s kitchen again.

He stirred and wiped the sweat from his brow. How Fleur managed this after a day of construction work in the hot sun was beyond Jariel, but he did understand why she enjoyed it. The hard work gave him a sense of accomplishment and a knowledge he would sleep soundly tonight. Perhaps, he thought, it also kept her mind occupied and away from other thoughts she did not dare to entertain.

He heard voices from outside the kitchen, and knew the smell of the food was getting to those who waited.

He stepped to the doorway, and looked out over the small crowd.

“Whomever volunteers first to help me drain the noodles gets the first bowl of food.” Camen declared to the crowd.

A man jumped forth waving his hands, as did several others.

“This gentleman wins. The rest of you, please form a line.”

Camen and his volunteer hefted the pot over the large colander, and drained the noodles. Using a pasta claw, Camen hefted the first portion into a bowl, then showed the man the Delavo and Alfredo sauces.

“Your choice.”

The man raised his hand. “You will serve me last Vedek, thank you. That is how we do things here.”

Camen smiled warmly. “As you wish. You have my word the food will be warm when you get it. Please send the first person in line in.”

Camen served everyone in line, and by all accounts, the alfredo sauce had not made anyone ill, and was to be considered a success.

He scrubbed every pot and pan till they shined, and cleaned every surface till they squeaked. Fleur’s kitchen would be spotless the next time she saw it, because she would expect no less from someone watching over her space in her stead.

Satisfied at last, he took one last bowl, still full of noodles and sauce, out of a warmer he had used to keep the food from getting cold. He covered the bowl, and stepped out into the night air. The town was quiet now, as everyone had retreated to their own space for the evening.

He walked alone back to the medical tent, and looked up at the stars. They were all still there, burning bright and true. He entered the tent, and saw Fleur still sleeping. Her bandages had been removed, and the Doctor had dozed off in his chair, with Tress sleeping nearby him.

He sat beside her, and uncovered the plate of food. Camen let the smell fill her senses, and she began to awaken.

“Vedek Jariel?” She asked, as if she were seeing him for the first time. “I thought I dreamt you were carrying me. Am I still dreaming?”

Camen chuckled. “We’re a long way from Serendipity. Please call me Camen.”

“Where is the Captain?”

“On the ship, as far as I know.”

“Then why are you here?” Fleur asked.

“Zanh Liis and I agreed to go our separate ways. I am here to find myself, and what I’ve been missing.”

Fleur managed a smile. “Now I know I am dreaming. How could zis ever be?”

“No more questions tonight, Ms. Le Marc.” Camen said. He spun some noodles onto a fork, and raised it to her lips. “Eat.”

Fleur turned her head to the side, and nodded across the room. “The Doctor, feed him. I saw him caring for Tress earlier, and no one has brought him a meal.”

Camen hesitated, but knew her mind was made up. He divided the bowl in half, and placed an equal portion for Fleur in several small paper cups near the supply of drinking water, as they were the only containers available.

“Sorry, I know it isn’t exactly the Two Windmills Café.” Camen said, as he looked at the underwhelming arrangement of four cups, each filled with noodles and sauce.

She attempted to protest, but her rumbling stomach won out. “All right, Monsieur Vedek, you win. I will share, but only if you promise to get more food for The doctor if he iz still hungry.”

“Agreed.” Camen brought the rest of the bowl to The Doctor, and woke him gently. The man thanked him, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and took the food. Camen checked on Tress, who was sleeping peacefully, and decided it was best to leave her be.

He rejoined Fleur, who was doing her best to navigate around the cups to eat her food. He sat beside her bed in silence, allowing her time to enjoy her food, such as it was.

“Vedek Jariel, one question.”

“Yes?”

“How do you know of the Two Windmills Café?”

“Oh. I believe I saw it in a movie once.” He answered honestly, despite not volunteering any information. “Your hand is trembling.” He observed.

“Yes, it has been a very trying day, no? Many surprises.”

“I don’t think you need to stay here, does she doctor?”

“Not at all, she can leave at any time.” He replied.

“Come, Fleur, let me walk you to your tent.” Camen offered.

“I know the way,” She said, jumping off the bed and heading for the exit.

“Not in the pitch dark.” Camen insisted.

He followed her out the door, and walked beside her. “Thank you very much,” She said. “When are you leaving Bajor?”

“When I am ready. I’m staying at the orphanage in Altaan province right now, and taking a few engineering courses in the city. I think I would like to spend some time here as well, and help with the work being done."

“Help is never refused.”

Fleur walked beside him, but dared not look at him. Dared not even entertain the idea that any of this was anything more than a dream or another vision from the Prophets.

That he was supposedly, so suddenly, here near her, and uninvolved...

Camen, however, could not help but look at her as she walked. Her love for the people of Bajor was as completely sincere and unconditional as what he now understood, after all this time, was her love for him. He could not help but regret, having ever broken her heart.

He could not help but feel that he wanted to mend it. Not just for her sake, but for his own as well.

“This iz it.” She said, upon arriving at her quarters. “Thank you for seeing me home, Vedek Jariel. How will you get back?"

“I’ll send a message to Vedek Timal at the orphanage, tell him not to expect me. It’s too late for that trip. I’ll sleep in the medical tent, unless I can find a bed elsewhere.”

She knew she could have offered him a cot for the night, but she simply could not have him under the same roof. Not after how long her day had been.

She bid him good night, and walked inside. Worry overcame her, and she looked out, watching his every step until he reached the medical tent, far in the distance. She nearly lost sight of him in the darkness, but a light seemed to find him every time, until he was safely there.

Only then, could she allow herself to go to bed.

******************
Jariel Camen
On Bajor