Reversal {Star Trek Enterprise Mirror Universe fan fiction}

It Means Dream

"You go on ahead, Lili,” Jennifer said, “I'm not quite tired yet." She disappeared down a different hallway.

Lili walked along to their quarters, trying not to run, not to get too overly excited. The entire day, she'd been a bundle of excitement and nerves. She heard her name, and turned. "Oh, hi, Ensign Sato."

"Oh, c'mon, you know we're on a first-name basis,” Hoshi said, “Mind if I walk with you a little?"

"'Course not. Did you watch the movie?"

"Only the last half or so. I get the feeling I missed a lot. Actually, um, can I ask you something, seeing as I have you here?"

"Yeah, I suppose so,” Lili said.

"Hayes, um, can you, will you, tell me what he's like?"

"Like, uh, how?"

"Well, just, I didn't know him. Nobody did. Most of us didn't even know his first name until his funeral. He was always kind of a swaggery guy, if that makes any sense."

"Yes, it does. I got that impression of Jay, too,” Lili allowed.

"So, is, um, Doug, you said his name was?"

"Yes."

"Is he swaggery?"

"Even more so. Attentive. Letting his guard down."

"Is he, um, uh, how shall I put this? The doctor said he'd be like this, this super male,” Hoshi said, “Uh, is he?"

"Hoshi, are you asking me if he's good?"

"Huh, uh...."

"No one's telling you to ask me this, are they?"

"No, no. I'm just being nosy. Too nosy."

"Answer: he is excellent."

"That's all anyone can ask for,” Hoshi said, “And, um, I shouldn't have pried."

"No, um, it's okay. I guess it looks weird, getting that intimate and involved that quickly. I won't deny that my brain's probably rather sex-addled."

"This is not the worst thing in the world." Hoshi grinned. "These are your quarters, right?"

"Yep. Gotta go."

"Have fun,” Hoshi said, grinning and shaking her head as she continued walking down the hallway.

=/\=

It was a beach.

Doug was near the water line, standing, wearing orange board shorts. He was waving.

Lili willed herself out of cut off sweats and an old baseball shirt and into a white tankini with little shamrocks all over it, and matching boy shorts. She ran over.

"Been waiting long?"

"Nah. I don't know if we fall asleep at the same time – maybe we don't – but it never seems like a long time. During the day, though, that's another story. Hard to wait all day. And, um, I swear I will say it to you first tonight. I swear,” he said, kissing her.

"Is it hard for you to say it?"

"Yes, it is. I've been conditioned one way for almost 55 years, Lili. But I am determined. I'm gonna say it to you first today. I promise."

There was a blanket, a cooler and a vase with blue flowers in it.

"What have we here?" she asked, sitting down on the blanket.