InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "It's a heartache every moment."

Jean-Luc Picard (tea_earlgreyhot) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2013-09-01 13:23:00

Entry tags:

data, geordi la forge, helen magnus, jean-luc picard, seven of nine

[ day 234 ] action :: open
It’s late in the day and Jean-Luc is just leaving the hospital. Aside from the fact that it takes something of great magnitude to get him into any kind of sick bay, an abnormal experience had been made even more surreal by the cold sterility of the bots. Nevertheless, something had happened that made him feel that a medical exam was necessary. It had just been several ticks in his chest, right where his artificial heart implant was. It usually ran without fail, almost unnoticeable to the point that he forgot that he had an artificial heart at all. Given the unknowns of the medical advancements and knowledge of the prison, he had thought it best to reassure himself that all was well without drawing too much attention to the issue or himself. He knew how concerned both Data and Geordi, and possibly even Seven, might be were they to know that he felt... unwell.

It's his distrust of the bots as a whole which had him heading toward the clinic that Helen runs. He might run into anyone along the way, but he opens the voice function to Helen as he moved through the dome.

[ Voice locked to Helen ]

Doctor Magnus, [ He clears his throat, realizing his error. ] Helen, perhaps you might find the time to meet me at your clinic as soon as you’re able.

ooc: Picard is on a trek from sector 5 to sector 3. Anyone can run into him between point A and point B. Or afterward. Technology fail!

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-23 10:06 am UTC (link)

[ Of course the fact that she's about to leave as well changes things. Rather than she walk him to the door, he would prefer to walk her to her apartment. It has been some time that he's been outside of the confines of a starship for any length of time. But he would like to think that he would do the same on the Enterprise or elsewhere. ]

Well in that case would you allow me to walk you home?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-23 10:40 am UTC (link)

[ she's finishing up making a few notes on a piece of paper when he asks his question. she pauses for a moment as she folds it up and tucks it into a pocket and then straightens up to face him. ]

If you don't mind a trip to Sector 2, I would be happy to have your company.

[ and suddenly, inexplicably even, she's nervous once more, as though she were 240 years younger, asking someone to escort her home. the memories hit her hard and she takes a deep breath to steady herself. jean-luc is not john, not by a long stretch of the imagination, and she is hardly the young woman she was then. ]

If you'd rather not, we can part ways here, at the door.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-23 12:09 pm UTC (link)

[ He waits patiently, keeping out of her way as she closes things down and files things away. His hands are clasped behind his back as he watches her, trying not to be too overtly attentive but also unable not to watch here and there. ]

I assure you, I only offer because I would rather do so. Unless you tire of my company, Helen. [ Which he's suddenly concerned about, since she offered to part ways here and now. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-23 01:28 pm UTC (link)

Of course not. [ her response is immediate, dismissive of whatever concern they both might be feeling on the the topic of overstaying their welcome. ] I would be more than happy to have your company for however long you're willing to give it.

[ she means that, too, offering a warm smile as she turns to shut things off and "lock up" for the night. she's not a purse or pocketbook woman, preferring to use her pockets whenever possible, and so it isn't long before she turns back to him to see how he would like to proceed. she's accustomed to being on her own, but in a situation like this, she finds herself desiring to walk on his arm, as she once would have with a gentleman friend. it's been so long since she's done anything like this and at this point, she isn't sure what jean-luc might be comfortable with. so, for the moment, she remains where she is, glancing in the direction of sector 2. ]

Shall we?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	action; tea_earlgreyhot 2013-09-24 10:44 am UTC (link)
	[ Jean-Luc is very much the type to offer her his arm. So once they're outside and everything has been closed up and locked up, he offers her his arm. ] Yes, let's. [ Once they start walking toward sector 2, he comments. ] Thank you for allowing me in tonight. I know it was quite late an hour for such a visit. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-24 12:27 pm UTC (link)

[ helen takes his offered arm easily, resting her hand in the crook of his arm. as strange and confusing as things might be between them, she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea that she doesn't want to be near him and so she walks quite close. it's enough that their shoulders brush against each other every so often and soon enough, she subconsciously places her free hand lightly against his arm. she could get used to this. ]

Of course. I could do nothing less for such a close friend. [ a friend or whatever they were going to call each other after this. ] You are always welcome to visit me.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-24 03:22 pm UTC (link)

[ It's admittedly been some times since he's enjoyed anyone's company as much as this. So he was glad to have her so close as they walked. It was comforting, and maybe something else he wasn't quite prepared to put a name to. ]

Doctor Crusher, our ship's chief medical officer, used to have to drag me kicking and screaming to sick bay. [ He pauses and glances in her direction. ] In a much more dignified manner than actual kicking and screaming, of course.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-24 03:53 pm UTC (link)

[ he gets a gentle laugh from her at his phrasing and reassurance. she likes how comfortable she is with him, though she ignores what it means, what she thinks it means. ]

I never would have imagined you as anything but completely dignified. [ which is, perhaps, true. she knows dignity is something he has in spades and imagining him throwing a tantrum akin to ones that nikola has thrown in her presence is difficult. amusing, but difficult to picture. ]

I'm certain she had her hands full and if that's a warning to me, you've nothing to worry about. I've had to drag Abnormals twice my own size to safety. Or into the main lab of the Sanctuary so I could properly treat them. You're in good and capable hands.

[ which means she will legitimately drag him kicking and screaming to the clinic for a check-up if she has to. it also brings up the memories of the one time she was ill since the source blood activated her abnormality... as well as the one time her old friend was ill. the former was a long process, but the latter... well, she'd almost lost her old friend and that had scared her deeply. her hands subconsciously tighten on jean-luc's arm, an effort to hold herself next to him and keep him from going anywhere she couldn't follow. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-27 11:06 am UTC (link)

Of that I've no doubt. [ He really is glad that he came to her and that she knows that he has this heart implant, along with the Borg technology. He would start coming to her on a weekly basis just for a check up to make sure everything is really working properly. ]

This heart. I was young and eager, just out of Starfleet and extremely over confident. We were at a layover on Starbase Earhart when I decided to pick a fight with a Nausicaan over a thrown game of dom-jot. Needless to say, I was outnumbered and far too brazen... unseasoned. A dagger right through the heart. I learned a valuable lesson that day though, perhaps several valuable lessons.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-27 01:07 pm UTC (link)

[ if he doesn't come to see her willingly, she'll be certain to find him. helen would be the last to judge him for anything he's done or whatever other technology might be a part of his body now. she has no reason to. what's important to her is the type of person he is, not what he is. and as far as she's concerned, he's one of the most important people in her life now.

she's silent for a while, simply listening to his story as they walk. both of her hands rest easily on his arm, as though they are quite accustomed to being there. her mind wanders to a great deal of events in her own life. how many life-or-death situations has she encountered in her life? too many to name and all because of one reckless moment in her life. ]

Your moment of recklessness gave you an artificial heart. Mine gave me my longevity. [ and lost her her fiance two years later. ] But you know... I wouldn't change it. [ ...most of it. okay, no she wouldn't actually change anything because she knows she can't. she'd had the opportunity once, but she hadn't taken it because she knew if she did, she would be changing herself, changing the woman those choices and situations had crafted. ] Sometimes... the worst situations can have some of the best and most far-reaching effects.

[ her life would not be what it is today. she would not be the woman walking on jean-luc's arm. and despite all of the heartache she's endured in her long, long life, she doesn't want to lose this. she's afraid she might someday, but for now, she's content to enjoy what they have and the people they are, especially for the rest of their walk. they're getting close, but they still have a little bit left. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-27 04:55 pm UTC (link)

[ How interesting that Q had once presented Jean-Luc with a similar opportunity to change everything from that moment of the dagger through his heart on. And he had been tempted, but had in the end opted not to take the bait. Life could be equated to a series of dominoes, one minute change could cause everything else to be different. And Jean-Luc had lived a vibrant life in spite of the injury. ] Nor would I change anything. Instead I would reference a quote commonly equated with Newton's third law of motion. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. And everything we have done, everything we have been, has brought us to this moment of time.

[ His other hand reaches across to lie gently over hers where they rest at his arm. He looks in her direction. ] And circumstances aside, I must say that the company in this moment of time is exceedingly agreeable.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-27 06:12 pm UTC (link)

[ helen had once been faced with the idea that someone she had once loved with all her being was not satisfied with the person she had become. john had wanted to change them both not long ago. she'd told him off for it, but the memory still remained with her. she swallows hard at the thought, the knowledge that john is likely dead anyway, and focuses on jean-luc next to her. his hand over hers brings a small smile to her face, managing to overwrite the heartache that john usually brought up in her. yes, perhaps jean-luc would be good for her if she allowed him to be. ]

I would quite agree. I'm glad to see I haven't managed to offend you yet.

[ whether she's serious or teasing is up to interpretation. perhaps it's a bit of both, a worry she doesn't yet want to put words to.

it takes her a moment or two before she can manage to turn that smile on him, to hopefully show that she is certainly enjoying whatever it is between them. she has nothing else to say to his words, nothing that can properly tell him how she feels towards him and their interactions tonight. so instead, she simply gives his arm a gentle squeeze and leans a little more against him as they walk. he's one of the few people she feels comfortable with even in silence, so if silence is what follows soon, she won't mind.

and perhaps someday she can put words to the chaotic emotions tumbling around inside her. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	action; tea_earlgreyhot 2013-09-28 10:22 am UTC (link)
	[ It''s difficult for Jean-Luc to imagine a scenario in which Helen could offend him. He's watching that smile of hers as they walk and contemplating what she might be eluding to as they near her building in Sector Two. ] Helen. Shall we meet for tea soon? [ Was he asking her on a date? No, certainly not. It was tea. Tea with Helen. Right? Right. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-28 12:20 pm UTC (link)

[ clearly, he needs to run into her when she's upset and lashing out at everyone and everything. she's fairly certain she would manage to offend even him during that. but instead of focusing on that, she simply enjoys their walk, her smile warm despite the hour and the fact that they're close to the point of splitting up for the night. ]

I would very much like that. [ she's not allowing herself to think about such things as dates. not yet. this can't be a date between them. can it? but after kissing him, she isn't certain what label to give anything anymore. ] Whenever you can spare a moment.

[ upon reaching the building, she turns towards him a little more, not quite willing to release his arm just yet, though knowing she should. despite his reason for visiting her, she couldn't say she hadn't enjoyed it. in fact, most encounters with jean-luc were nothing if not enjoyable. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-28 04:24 pm UTC (link)

[ Well. This was a moment. One of those with an internal battle of should I or shouldn't I? Jean-Luc had never been one to delight in uncertainty of a personal nature. He could handle a good mystery. He enjoyed exploration of the great unknown. But in his personal life, he wanted to know exactly what he was doing and precisely where he stood.

At the moment, he stood right here in front of Helen's apartment with Helen. Right here in a bout of uncertainty which he decided to meet head on. He pulled his arm away and then used that hand to cup her elbow as he leaned in to kiss the edge of her lips before leaning back to look into her eyes. ]

I truly look forward to it. Thank you, Doctor. I hope you will rest well.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

lifelines
2013-09-28 04:53 pm UTC (link)

[ she allows her eyes to slide shut at the kiss, brief and gentle against her lips. there's so much between them at this moment, so much she wants to say but can't yet, that she isn't entirely certain what to do about it. so for a moment, she's silent. her arm slides out of his grasp until she can gently wrap her hand around his and give him a gentle squeeze. ]

After the night I've had, I should think I shall. I wish the same for you.

[ and that's the end, isn't it? she doesn't want to pull away, but they aren't yet to a point where she would feel comfortable inviting him inside simply because she isn't certain what doing so would mean for their relationship or whatever it is. how would that change things between them? she doesn't know and she doesn't want to find out the hard way. not yet. so for now and though the idea is entirely disagreeable to her, she moves to pull back and let her hand fall away from his. ]

I'll see you again, Jean-Luc. Soon, I hope.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-09-29 11:14 am UTC (link)

You will. Soon, Helen.

[ Jean-Luc will stand and wait until he can no longer see her, until she is safely inside. Something about it feels unfinished. As if he should have said more. But he also isn't one for regrets. He's more the kind of man who promises to do better next time. And he already wanted a next time.

He turns to walk back toward his own apartment, attempting not to over-think anything that had happened tonight, and failing miserably. ]

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -