WHO: Christopher Pike & Leia Organa
WHERE: Holodeck
WHEN: A few days ago
WHAT: Leia programmed the holodeck and invited Chris to see what she's done. Then they discuss their relationship.
RATING: PG-13 for some kissing.
STATUS: Complete

It took Leia a while before she decided how she was going to start spending her time. It came to her in a dream, really, one night where she dreamt of her mother, of Breha Organa, and those too-short moments mother and daughter shared at the summit of Appenza Peak during Leia's Challenge of the Body, when she was 16. The view and the details were fuzzy, lost in the dream and to Leia's memory, but when she awoke, she had the strangest urge to schedule time in the holodeck and recreate the home that she'd been trying to put out of her mind for decades. She spent whatever time she could in the holodeck, not taking easily to the system and technology but working through it. She took her time with it, finding herself often lost in long-closed-off memories and pausing in her work to sit in the half-finished program silently, head bowed. Though she didn't want to make use of the holodeck impossible for others, she did sign up to use it as often as possible until her recreation was complete. Or, at least, as complete as she could get it with memories that were no longer clear. "I told you," she said as she and Chris stood inside of the holodeck before she called up the program. "Take an hour and relax. I knew I'd have to drag you here, but you need a break. I want to show you what I've been working on." If it was anyone else telling Admiral Pike to relax, he would have dismissed them or given them an excuse. In many ways, however, he and Leia were cut from the same cloth. He bit back a retort to the comment about needing to relax and watched her as she worked. The mission to Fornax had led to him putting in 18 to 24 hour days, even if not required but because that was the type of officer he was. Most of the time when he was working in his quarters but lately he'd noted her not there as often. "I was wondering what you'd been spending your time on," he said with a smile, well aware that he'd been preoccupied with work recently and not as attentive a partner as he should be. Leia glanced at him as she worked her fingers over the holodeck controls on the grid-like wall. "It was probably a stupid idea for me," she admitted. "I've always made it a point not to dwell too much on the past, but the opportunity presented itself, so …" She hit a button and the holodeck around them transformed into the peak of a mountain overlooking a wide valley surrounded by other peaks, some higher, some not, and a bright city in the distance. It was springtime, cool with a breeze, damp around them. She swallowed and focused on a point in the distance. "It's not perfect," she told him, "but the last time I stood here I was sixteen, and my memory isn't as great as it once was. But this is Alderaan," Leia told him. "Where I grew up." Chris closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Leia and kissing her shoulder. Even though he was used to the holodeck, it was still amazing to him. Of course, after his time on Talos IV, he wasn't a fan of spending too much time on the holodeck, knowing all too well how the illusion of a paradise could be a prison. However, this wasn't Talos IV, and what Leia had managed to program… it was like nothing he'd seen before, which given how extensively he'd traveled, was saying something. "It's breathtaking." Whatever he had expected when she'd led him to the holodeck, it hadn't been her home world. Leia didn't talk about her past much and Christopher didn't push, knowing what it was like to have heartache and trauma in one's past that you didn't want to revisit. Not to mention, there was no point to dwelling in the past, especially when the future was happening around you. He tightened his arms around Leia and captured her lips in a soft kiss. "Absolutely gorgeous. Did you spend a lot of time here when you were young?" "It's not perfect," Leia said again. She relaxed slightly in his arms. This was one of those places she had always wanted to bring Luke, Han, Ben - a place she'd never be able to. She could now, she thought, invite Ben, see what happened. Ask Rey to join her. She didn't know if that would be for the better or worse of all of her strained relationships. "Alderaan was destroyed when I was nineteen," she told him softly. "Until then, I don't think I went more than a month or so without being there. Maybe a little longer once I started in the Senate and had to be on Coruscant, but even then, it was a short trip back home." "I'm sorry." There were no words to adequately express the unimaginable sorrow of having one's home destroyed so he pressed a kiss to Leia's forehead. "I can see why you would come here often. It seems so peaceful." "I shouldn't," she said. "Like I said, there's no sense in living in the past. It's just that I didn't have an opportunity to - rebuild, as it were - Alderaan until now. This technology is astounding. I can program scents," she continued. "They aren't accurate because as far as I know there's nothing in this universe that smells like Alderaan does, but it's close." Leia turned and looked at him. "You're going to need to remind me not to hole myself up in here, got it, admiral?" "You're right on that point." Chris kissed her neck. "But there's nothing wrong in having an oasis. Even those of us on the top need to remember to make time for R&R." Christopher took her hand in his as he wandered towards a trail. "How about this? I promise not to let you spent too much time in here if you promise to drag me away from my desk and my PADD every so often?" Leia almost argued that that wasn't exactly what she meant, but she kept her lips pressed into a thin line. "Very well," she said. "It's a deal." She hadn't done a great job on getting all of the details right; still, the path curved down and away from the mountain's peak. One of the good things about this being a holodeck with safety protocols on was that even if they slipped and fell on their walk, they wouldn't be injured or worse. He gave her a quizzical glance, familiar enough with that expression to know there was something she was holding back. He wouldn't press. She wasn't one of his cadets or one of his crew. "I'm not sure I ever thanked you properly for your help on Fornax. It… meant a lot to have you there by my side." Normally, Christopher Pike had a way with words, unfortunately, that ability seemed to disappear when he was speaking to the person he had feelings for. She arched an eyebrow at him. "I'm not sure I did much besides put on a dress and stick to your side, but you're welcome." Leia had had a very good time that evening herself, even if he had been working. It was nice to watch him work, see him in his element. "Not everyone can put up with six hours of diplomatic negotiations in the form of a state dinner, particularly when dealing with different cultural sensitivities." He gave her a smile. He tended to go to such events solo in the past because it was too difficult to balance the needs of a date and his diplomatic duty. But Leia had managed to take it all in stride. "I've actually been thinking.. Well, you could store some of your things in my quarters if you like. There's room enough in the closet and the drawers and it might make things easier when you stay over." It wasn't much different from the years and years of royal and senatorial proceedings and negotiations that Leia had gone through since she was young. The difference in this situation was that she wasn't as well-versed with this universe, its peoples, planets, and cultures, as she was with her own. "Honestly, I feel as comfortable there as I do on the ground with my resistance troops," she told him. Leia looked at him, surprised. "You know it's not that long of a trip from my quarters to yours," she pointed out. "But - if you want me to start taking over your space, I won't say no." She smiled. "I know, but I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable there. I'm not saying give up your own quarters yet - it might be useful to have a separate space from my stubborn grumpiness - but I want you to feel at home in my quarters." It was, certainly a step towards something and the significance was not lost on Pike. He gave her a smile and continued. "I know we've been going on without putting words to what this is, but I want you to know that I care for you. I know there hasn't really been much opportunity for proper dates - wining and dining you like you deserve, but you are an exceptional woman, Leia Organa and if I'm honest, well, I might just be falling for you." Leia certainly wasn't at a place in her life where she needed to move in with a man, even one whom she had grown to care about deeply, to love, even, as she did with Chris. She reached out for his hand and covered it with both of hers. "I think everything we have together, here, is great," she told him, smiling herself. "I'm sure I must have a grumpy man type, but I don't mind that at all. Just don't get too grumpy when you find any of my lacy underthings in your bathroom." Did she even have lacy underthings? Leia hid a smile and shrugged. "As long as I don't walk onto the bridge with them on my head, I think we'll be okay," Chris said with a bit of a smile. Perhaps it was because they didn't need each other that they worked so well, neither was a simpering lovesick fool. "Besides, somehow I doubt you're the messy type." "Though there is one thing perhaps to discuss. It feels a bit juvenile to introduce you as my girlfriend in state settings and introducing you as my general seems a bit formal.." Leia laughed first at the image and then at his question. "Is partner too committed?" she asked him. It was a strong word, more … stately, perhaps even, though it did connote something more lasting than maybe what they were at this stage. Not that she thought there was going to be a next stage. She was married once before and didn't think she'd go that route again, and especially not here where her presence was so fragile anyway. Chris considered the word, his hand squeezing Leia's. Partner was what he and Phil had called each other. But it was years since that relationship had ended. Perhaps it was time to give relationships another chance. Hadn't Phil insinuated as much when they'd visited? And that had been months ago. "I think partner is appropriately committed. Though I would pay to see Kirk or McCoy's reaction if I introduced you somewhere as my lover or consort." A wicked smile spread across his face at the suggestion, knowing that there was an equal chance of Leia finding it hilarious or of her smacking him upside the head. "Lover is accurate for you of me but as I'm royalty, I'm pretty sure you'd be my consort and not the other way around." But she laughed lightly all the same. Chris laughed at that, eyes crinkly at the notion of "Admiral Christopher Pike, prince consort" or however it would go. "Kirk would have a field day if you told him that." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her soundly. "So, is there anything you want from your consort?" "Right now or in general?" She slid her arms comfortably around him. "Because right now I have another 20 minutes scheduled for the holodeck and then you don't have a shift until morning. In general - " Leia looked at him for a long moment seriously. "Honesty, mostly. Just be up front with me and I'll do the same. It makes for a better relationship, I like to think." "Should I be worried you know my schedule? Or is this just a well planned seduction effort?" he asked, lips brushing against her neck before the conversation turned serious. "I couldn't agree more." Even when it led to disagreement. Christopher preferred honesty to the alternative. "Speaking of… in general, partner means you'd be listed as my emergency contact. Is that something you're okay with?" Chris was after all, a Starfleet officer, and even though their research mission meant risks were minimal, well, he knew well enough that something could always happen. "I mean, on the Enterprise, McCoy and Kirk would probably comm you if something happened, but even with the travelers, this is still Starfleet." "I like to have all the information before acting," Leia said. It was true in her life before and it was just as true now. She slid her fingers through his hair. She pulled back to look at him seriously for a moment. "Yes," she told him, "if you'd like to list me as your emergency contact, I'd like that very much." "Oh? And what other information do you require about your consort," Chris teased, relaxing into her touch. It was odd at times, how relaxed and comfortable he felt around her, but it was also reassuring. He didn't want to think about the possibility of Starfleet needing to contact Leia in an emergency or the fact that he hadn't changed his emergency contact in over twenty years. His hand rubbed her back as he pulled her close, kissing her long and slow. "I'll take care of it then. So, what else do you have planned for our next twenty minutes?" Leia leaned into him. "I really only planned to share Alderaan with you," she confessed quietly to him. "Anything past that is a bonus for the both of us. If you want to head back to your quarters before my time's up in here, we can do that." "Well then, why don't we explore Alderaan for the rest of the time we have on the holodeck. And afterwards, well, we can go back to our quarters and I promise to turn off my PADD. No interruptions unless it's an emergency." She smiled. "I didn't program much else than the mountain peak," she admitted to him. "But we can enjoy it here for a while, yes."