A Kiss Yet To Be Had

Chapter Two

She could feel the lift falling with her in it. Plummeting to the bottom. Reacting fast Meara let go of the handrail and dropped to the floor. She curled up in a ball and wrapped her arms around her head. She wished more than anything in that moment that she had just taken the Jeffries tubes. The lift suddenly came to a halt smashing Meara's head against the floor.

Ensign Lussar hailed the lift. He was just thinking how humans would be far more efficient if they chose the correct diets. After all, most of his human colleagues would be far more less fatigued when they got up in the morning if they would just stop drinking excess amounts of coffee and opt for a healthier lifestyle. Some of his colleagues even fall asleep whilst on duty. The lift doors opened and before him lay unconscious Lieutenant Meara. He couldn't help thinking 'point proven'. Meara moaned and tried to open her eyes. She was never gonna get in a turbolift again. She shakily tried to lift her head and caught sight of Ensign Lussar.
"Good morning," she said. She crawled to her feet and and staggered past him desperately trying not to puke. She stopped for a second and faced Lussar. "Exactly where am I?" She asked. Lussar stared at her with disbelief. Meara decided to just leave. She wasn't gonna get anything out of this Vulcan. She walked down the corridor until she reached a computer panel. She was on the second to last floor. Definitely not the bridge. Luckily sickbay wasn't too far away, her head was throbbing with pain. She made her way to the nearest Jeffries tube and hoisted herself inside.
Okay, so she only had a couple floors to go through, but her head was spinning so bad. It took a while to reach the required area. As Meara pulled herself out of the tubes she could see someone waiting for her. Meara was completely out of it, clearly she had hit her head harder than she thought. She felt like she was gonna vomit. Whoever it was grabbed her and pulled her out. As she surfaced Meara realised who it was. Grey.

Grey was waiting for her at the other end of the tubes. He knew Meara well, and knew, thanks to Lussar, that she would be heading this way. He saw her approaching the exit looking extremely drowsy, he knelt down, reached out and pulled her closer to him. She didn't resist.
"Callie? Are you okay?" He said. When he didn't get an answer he gently lifted her head up before realising that she was unconscious. Grey softened and pulled her into his arms. He was gonna have to carry her to sickbay.

                                 ***

Meara awoke to bright lights. She could hear voices. She recognised them as Dr Suil and Grey immediately.
"Are you sure she's gonna be okay?"
"Commander, I know how much she means to you, but you need to trust me. It's nothing more than a concussion."
Meara sat up, she hadn't been expecting to hear that. Grey's head swivelled immediately to look at her.
"Callie! Are you okay?" He said rushing to her side. He reached out and stroked her cheek. Meara blinked. Uh...she had to still be concussed.
"I'm fine Commander." She replied awkwardly. She really wanted to push his hand away but he was the only friend she had on this ship and she didn't want to push him away too.
"There's no need for formalities Callie. Ramirez isn't sniffing around. Here, you'd better lie back down." He said gently laying her down. "I'll be back later." Grey smiled at her and kissed her head. Meara watched speechless as he walked away. Dr Suil walked over to her.
"He's right. You need to rest up. Actually, whilst I have you in one place, may I ask when you're going to inform the Captain of your relationship?" Meara sat up again.
"What relationship?!" Meara was seriously freaking out. He wasn't trying to imply that...! "What Commander Grey did just then was an abnormality. We're just friends! Nothing more!" Dr Suil raised an eyebrow. He clearly wasn't convinced.
"You two have been openly at it for ages. The whole ship knows of your relationship with him. You've even confessed to me about it before. There's no point denying it to me." He said.
Meara was shocked. And confused. She didn't understand. She stood up much to the protesting of the doctor.
"You need to rest. You hit your head badly!" Meara shrugged him off and walked out. She needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

Meara walked onto the bridge. For once Captain Ramirez was no where to be seen. Scanning the room carefully she finally saw Grey, bending over a screen next to an Ensign. She strode over to him.
"Commander Grey. I don't suppose I could have a word?" She asked sarcastically. Grey turned around. He looked surprised to see her standing there.
"Callie? Aren't you meant to be in sickbay?" He asked. Meara held her tongue. She had never once told him that he could call her that.
"I would very much appreciate it if you would refrain from calling me that." Meara said. "Could we go somewhere private. Please." Grey tilted his head. He was clearly hurt. Meara felt a tang of guilt.