Beyond the Stars, Beyond the Moon

Part 12: Antiques and Antics

Pov:Cassie

I wake up and we're still on the floor, the universe and stars all around us. Before I panic, I should look at the time. I turn around and the wall by the door says 0500. Phew. I have until 0700 to get down to Scotty.

I look at Pavel, still softly snoring away. I kiss his head gently. Do I go get ready? Do I leave him sleep here by himself? Maybe I'll write a note. Or maybe I'll stay a little longer and hopefully he wakes up.

As I lay here, my thoughts circle back to what love is and how one knows if it is love. Regardless of what I feel, saying it first is not on the list of things I should do. It would be illogical to set myself up for hurt that way. I turn to look at him, so handsome, and my heart rate speeds up. As much as I don't want to get up, I have to go meet Scotty. A slowly force myself to sit up, but before I can get on my feet, I feel his arm wrap around my waist and pull me back. "Vhere do you think you are going?" He says playfully.

"Well good morning to you too! You know, that was pretty creepy." I laugh a bit.

"Oh yeah? Vell at least I wasn't watching you sleep!" He smiles.

"You were awake?"

"Half awake, but awake enough to feel you watching me."

"Sorry about that..." I don't know if he's ok with it and joking or if he's genuinely creeped out.

"Iz ok. I thought it vas cute." He smiles. "Thanks for not vaking me up, and bigger thanks for not just leaving me by myself on zhe floor sleeping."

"I should head down to my room to get ready..."

"I vill valk you zhere." He says with a smile and we head back down to my room. Both of us not realizing it, for I thought he was going to just walk me here, he walks into my room and I go in the closet for a clean uniform. He spies my ukulele in the corner. "Is zat vhat I think it iz?"

"Depends on what you think it is." I laugh, taking the uniform out of the closet and hanging it on the bathroom door.

"It's an instrument...a..tiny guitar? From zhose little islands? An antique?"

"Close enough," I pick it up and strum it. "Ukulele. Native to the islands of Hawaii, before they went under the Pacific years ago. It was something my mother gave me. She actually got to visit the islands while they were still around. I've done my best to keep it in good shape, but no one really sells replacement strings anymore. I have to make them myself and make them last."

"Do you play? Or is it just decoration and keepsake?"

"I play...I've been playing since I got it from her 7 years ago." I hold the ukulele closer to me. Me and this thing have been through a lot together. Lots of sleepless nights playing, lots of bonfires with friends, writing songs when I was nervous about leaving mom and joining Starfleet, nights where I should be studying with Kane playing it on the couch in our dorm..I was so scared I had lost it when the Caliber went down. Spock must've surprised me by putting it in my room when I was out, but I still have no idea where he got it.

"Vould you play something for me? Please?"

"I can try...I don't know what to play...hmmm" I start plucking at the strings and play a song I heard a very long time ago, I can't remember where, but probably from an earthen movie. I think it's called the Moon Song. I'm kind of an ok singer. My mother always told me I sounded like an angel, but she's my mother, of course she would say that. So I'll take it as an exaggeration. Well, hopefully Pavel will think I'm ok. I pluck the last few strings of the intro, and strum as I begin the lyrics:

"I'm lying on the moon, my dear I'll be there soon.
It's a quiet and starry place, Time's we're swallowed up in space, we're here a million miles away.
There's things I wish I knew, there's nothing I'd keep from you, it's a dark and shiny place, but with you my dear I'm safe and we're a million miles away."

He sits silent for a minute and I wonder if I bored him to death. Or maybe he went deaf and can't tell the dying cat has stopped screaming. "Cassie...you sounded so beautiful..." He finally says.

I blush. "Thank you Pavel..." I push a strand of hair behind me ear nervously. "Oh! I should really get ready. And you should be icing your nose, mister!" I say teasingly. He gives me a smirk, acknowledging the tease. "Ok fine fine.."

I hand him a pack of ice from the little fridge by the replicator and go into the bathroom. I quickly shower, thinking how awkward this must be for him. I should've just walked him back to his room. Oh well. I throw on my clean red uniform and squeeze my hair out so it doesn't drip.

When I walk out of the bathroom Pavel is laying on the bed with the ice on his nose. I sit next to him "you know, that's not a bad look for you." I tease.

"Oh really? Vet  hair looks pretty funny on you too." We laugh. Then he takes the ice off his nose and leans into me, putting his hand on my face, caressing my cheek. We lean in and-my com beeps.

"Yes?"

"Are ya comin lass? Yer about to be late! Again!"

"I'm coming. Sorry Mr Scott." I close my com and look sadly at Pavel. "I should really head down there." He nods and we get up from the bed. We step out the door and I hug him tight. "Get some rest ok?"

"I vill" he smiles and kisses my forehead before going to his room.

I walk in the direction of engineering and I see my brother walking toward me. Instead of avoiding him, I take him into a hug. "I'm sorry brother. I know I said some hurtful things to you. I just need you to understand."

Seemingly surprised by my actions, it takes him a second to respond. "Apology accepted. I was rash and said things I shouldn't have either. I was being illogical and too hard on you. That does not mean I quite approve, but I will take the matter into consideration. I was being hypocritical. I suppose an open mind would suffice, as would an apology. I am very sorry dear sister. Please forgive me."

I hug him a bit longer. "Brother I must admit I was surprised by your gift. I thought that was part of your apology. I must ask, I am curious, how did you manage to acquire my ukulele from the Caliber?"

He stares at me, looking almost puzzled. "Sister, I'm afraid I do not know what you're talking about..."

"My ukulele from mother...I thought I lost it with the Caliber...but I found it in my room..." I begin to feel a bit odd. What's going on here?

"Fascinating .... And most curious..."

"English please, Spock. How did the ukulele get in my room?"

"T' Maire....I do not know."