<USS Avalon> "Caught"

"Caught"
Ensn. Paul Laurents, Sr. Lt. Melanie Redgrave
 
The picture on the small screen of Paulyâs evidence camera was of a small  
blueish gold rodent. A Virerdin rat that they must have picked up while at  
Station 51. Pauly hated rats, mice or anything closely related with a passion.  
As 
he headed down the hall towards Security he hoped that the picture of the rat 
 nesting in the jeffries tube above his desk would convince someone in 
Security  to do something about it. 
 
Pauly stepped inside the Security office and looked around for someone to  
show his picture too. He didnât see any one at first, but he did hear voices  
coming from one of the side offices. Walking over, Pauly raised his hand to  
knock on the open door frame but stopped when he heard the womanâs voice. 
 
â...because of Melanie. Youâre such a sweet guy after all... so you donât 
 
have to. Just tell her I seduced you IF she finds out.â
 
The next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion for Pauly. He watched  
as the redheaded woman leaned in and kissed Elijah hard as she pressed herself  
into him, and him in the wall behind him. A sudden anger rose in Pauly as he  
lifted his camera and took a quick picture of the transgression against his  
friend. He then turned quickly on his heel and headed out of Security, his 
boots  thumping out an angry beat as he went.  
 
     **********
 
âIsnât she just darling.â Sidhe said as she looked up from cleaning off 
her  
work space. 
 
Marjorie looked up as well and smiled as she watched Melanie bounce around  
the office. It was nice to see the girl so happy. Marjorie continued to smile  
warmly as Melanie said goodnight and wished them a nice weekend. When their  
chief and friend was out of the room Marjorie finally nodded. âElijah is good 
 
for her.â
 
âHeâs such a sweetheart.â Sidhe sighed in a longing kind of way. 
 
âDonât worry Sidhe.â Marjorie said as she watched the other woman heading 
 
for the lockers. âSome day your price will come.â 
 
Sidhe laughed. âThanks for the words of hope there, Walt.â 
 
Marjorie laughed as well. âTruer words have never been spoken then those in  
a classice Disney movie.â 
 
After Sidhe had left, Marjorie allowed herself to think once again of  
Melanie. The girl had come to the Avalon with such heavy loads on her young  
shoulders, but now she seemed to be walking on air. It was really good to see  
the 
change in her. âAhh young love is such...â 
 
âA crock!â 
Marjorieâs head jerked up at the harshness in Paulyâs voice.  Sheâd never 
heard her bright and cheerful friend spew so much venom before. âDid  they 
laugh 
about the rat?â 
 
âHeâs the rat! Heâs got everyone buying into his sweet little southern 
boy  
act, but I know the truth now!â Pauly vented as he paced the room. 
 
This wasnât like Pauly at all and it was starting to worry Marjorie. 
âWhoâs  
a rat?â 
 
Pauly stopped his pacing and tossed his camera down in front of his friend.  â
She thinks sheâs in love with him! But heâs only going to hurt her! Mister  
goody two shoes is getting a piece of ass on the side!â 
 
âOh my.â Was the only thing Marjorie could think to say. As she looked down 
 
at the picture of a redhead kissing who she was assuming was Elijah  Dareth,  
she knew there had to be more to this. âPauly maybe this isnât  what it 
looks like?â
 
Paulyâs eyes snapped open wider. âNot what it looks like?! Marge are you  
blind!?â 
 
âNo, but Iâve seen him with Mel and I canât believe that...â 
 
âThat the sweet and pure Mister Dareth is kissing another woman in the  
security office? Look at the picture Marge! I know what I saw! What I heard! 
She  
told him not to worry about Melanie that IF she ever found out to blame it on  
her!â 
 
Marge didnât say anything. She simply looked past Pauly, her eyes wide and  
her face white. Before Pauly could ask the older woman what she was looking at, 
 he could feel the warmth of someone standing behind him. He swallowed hard.  
âPlease tell me thatâs not..â 
 
Melanie reached around Pauly and took the camera from Marjorie. She looked  
down at the picture and knew right away that the dark haired man who was being  
kissed was Elijah. She could feel the hurt and anger welling in her belly and 
 knew it would soon overflow her entire body. Looking up, she said nothing to 
 Marjorie but turned on Pauly. She opened her mouth to yell at him, to curse 
him,  but nothing would come out. So she looked at each of her people in turn, 
giving  them a warning look. She didnât want this getting out. The each 
nodded their  understanding 
 
Slipping the camera into her pocket Melanie headed out of her department,  
the padd she came to get long forgotten. She couldnât think straight. She 
felt  
numb, yet the hurt was sharp. Stepping into the turbo lift, Melanie directed 
it  towards Security. She wanted to find out the truth, wanted to hear it from  
Elijah, but when she found herself staring at the open doors of the lift she  
couldnât move. After what seemed like forever, Melanie ordered the doors 
closed,  directed the lift to the lounge, but halted it half way there. She 
suddenly felt  weak and allowed herself to sink the floor. Tears begin to 
stream 
down her  cheeks as she sat there alone, hurt, and more then a little confused.

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