InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Winter is coming."

It was probably the first shore leave in over a decade or two where Chris had actually gone days without checking his PADD for work. And even after he'd returned from his duty shift aboard the Enterprise, he'd tried to limit his working to a half hour in mornings. It was enjoyable to have nothing pressing begging for his attention and be able to devote his time and energy to Leia. Risa's offerings had only widened in the years since he'd last visited.

He'd promised to take Leia to the subterranean gardens and he'd forgotten just how gorgeous they were. The gardens were relatively empty at this hour and Chris wrapped his arm around Leia's waist. "I always forget just how much there is to see in the galaxy. So many treasures to see.."

"I like that I'm getting the opportunity to see an entire other galaxy," she told him. "Of course there was much I didn't experience in my own galaxy too." So many missed opportunities. She kept that part to herself.

Leia turned and smiled at him. "I'm glad you were actually able to take a break during this visit, Chris," she told him, without a trace of teasing or sarcasm in her tone. "I know it's not easy. Believe me. I went decades without a vacation."

"Well, it helps when I get rewarded for putting down my PADD," he teased, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face before kissing her forehead.

"I know it's been difficult and that I have a tendency to fill every spare moment with work," he admitted, his thumb caressing her cheek. "Is that why you're so insistent on me taking a vacation? Trying to make up for lost time?"

She shook her head. "No, not entirely. I can function just fine without you. But there's something about a mutual vacation," Leia continued. "The chance to not worry about anything else for a while, or at least pretend you're not worrying about anything else."

Chris chuckled. "I have no doubt of the things you can do without me. It's one of the reasons I love you -- you don't need me, you're not in love with some image of me, this isn't some Admiral fetish of yours." She was his equal -- or his better -- in many ways and it thrilled him.
"Does it work if you know I'm pretending?"

"We're all pretending," she admitted gruffly, but she left it at that. Her pretending was her concern that she was here and she wasn't back on D'Qar with her people, with the Resistance. Yes, it had been nearly a year by now, but that didn't mean she wasn't pretending she needed to be somewhere else.

Chris tilted her head towards him and leaned down to brush his lips against hers. "You know you don't need to pretend with me. I love you warts and all." There may have been a bit of a smirk as he pulled back from the kiss. Neither one of them was perfect.

"Yes," she said, kissing him back then settling back into their pace through the gardens together, "however I'm pretending because although this is really good, you and me, us, this, together, it's not far from my mind that I need to back with the Resistance, fighting."

"And all this might be temporary." He gave her a wry look. "Apart from the Enterprise, there is nowhere else I need to be. Or want to be."

She preferred not to think about things as being temporary, but she knew they were. They both knew that. "I prefer to live in the moment while I'm here, instead of worrying about where I'll wake up tomorrow." Leia stopped and slid a hand against his jaw.

"Carpe Diem as the motto goes," he said, closing his eyes as he leaned into her touch. He turned and pressed a kiss to her palm. "Well, there's still more than a few moments of shore leave to be lived in, so how can we make the most of them?"

"You're the one who's been here before," she said with a shrug. "So what else is there to do that we haven't done yet?"

"In the days of my reckless youth. My tastes have changed a bit since then. I suspect you're not in the mood for mountain climbing or lewd night clubs," Chris said, pulling her into an alcove where lumiscent plants hung from trellises and stealing a kiss. "There are museums, wilderness to explore, beaches.. We could go riding.."

"I don't need to climb anymore mountains in my life," she murmured, changing the subject. "Riding is fine, if that's what you want to do. Can we ride on the beach?"

Chris raised an eyebrow, but let her avoid the topic before chuckling. "I always want to go riding, so I don't think I can honestly answer that. But we could ride on the beach. Or take one of the boats out for a sail…"

"I'm really easy when it comes to this," she told him, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze. "Really. I'm enjoying this, you, and the fact that I don't have to worry about everything right now." Except for Ben. Whom she was actively avoiding.

"Riding it is," Chris said, looking a bit like a child for whom Christmas had come early. He wrapped an arm around her waist. As they headed towards the the exit, he glimpsed a familiar brunette.

"Cap- Admiral Pike!" the woman said, coming to attention and fighting the urge to salute. "I heard about your return."

"Number One," Chris said, straightening up as his face flickered with emotion. "Number One, may I introduce my partner, General Leia Organa. Leia, this is Number One, she was my first officer for many years when I was just a lowly Captain."

Leia, who was used to interruptions and meeting new people and all the sort of things that happened because she was both a politician and a general, smiled warmly at the woman herself. "Nice to meet you," Leia said, offering her hand for a quick shake.

Number One shook Leia's hand. "It's a pleasure." She turned her attention to her former Captain. "I did not believe it when Doctor Boyce said you were attached. You were obsessed with your ship - no offence Sir."

Chris chuckled. "None taken, Number One." He glanced between his former first officer and the woman at his side. He slid his hand through Leia's and squeezed. "I was. And I lost her anyway. Perhaps… I've finally come to realize that there are things in this universe more important than that beautiful hunk of metal. And that instead of always reaching for what might be the next mission, that sometimes it's necessary to see what's in front of you and to seize the moment."

"Don't let him fool you," Leia said, a teasing edge to her tone, "his job and the Enterprise is absolutely still more important than just about anything else. But it's nice to convince him he needs to take a vacation, now and again."

Number One looked incredulous. "Captain, are you actually taking shore leave?" She turned to Leia. "I served under him for fifteen years and the only vacations he took were the ones he was medically ordered to."

Chris had the decency to look slightly bashful. "It wasn't quite that bad, I'm sure.."

Leia arched an eyebrow. "Why do I believe Number One over you, Chris, hmn?" A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. "Everyone's on shore leave, and I've been making sure he doesn't do too much work. I even managed to keep his PADD away from him for nearly 48 hours."

"Admiral, I didn't know you could go four hours without looking at your PADD."

Chris rubbed at his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose even as a smirk danced on his lips. "There's nothing wrong with being devoted to one's duty.."

"No, there isn't," Leia said, rubbing his back. Because she really didn't think there was anything wrong with it. She just preferred some of the time and attention being on her rather than on his work too.

He gave Leia a fond smile understanding what was left unsaid between them before turning to Number One. "However, I've been persuaded of the benefits of taking time off. Speaking off, I believe we must be on our way. But comm me and we can catch up."

He turned towards Leia and offered her his arm.

"It was very nice to meet you," Leia told Number One. "I like the chance to meet some of Chris's colleagues outside of those currently on the Enterprise." She gave her a polite smile then took Chris's arm, allowing him to lead her on.

"Of course. Captain. Leia."