<USS Avalon> Compromise

Compromise
By Senior Lieutenant Elissabeth Marksbury 
and Junior Lieutenant James Monroe

James scratched his brow. Looking at the doors of Lissi's quarters, he was 
unsure if dinner as planned before his request of transfer was a good idea. 
Yet, the split between them hadn't actually taken effect. Not until she 
approved the transfer. Dinner wasn't going to be pleasant, to say the least.

Feeling as though it may as well not happen, James turned, pulling his hand 
back from Lissi's chime and walked towards the turbolift. 

Lissi had finally went back to her quarters after supervising Lt. Shimbrodus' 
qualifications on phaser. He had even topped Lt. Manson's scores. She was 
surprised. Of course, most people wouldn't do that. Manson had said that they 
did target practice type stuff for fun, though. It made sense.

She honestly didn't expect James to show for dinner. He was angry with her. She 
understood his frustrations, and, to his credit had been talking all along 
about how much he hated tactical. But why now? Why this complication when 
everything had just settled down between them? She didn't understand why he 
couldn't make the best of his situation. Sometimes people got assigned where 
they didn't want to be, but there was still a mission to accomplish.

Sighing, she ran the brush through her hair. She was going to get something to 
eat if he wasn't here on time. Waiting until 18:00, she left. He was never 
late. 

Stepping outside her door, Lissi saw him walking towards the turbolift. 

She considered not saying anything, but this was just ridiculous. If they could 
keep their professional lives separate from their personal lives if they were 
to work together, why should now be any different? 

"James?" she called out. 

He stopped. Part of him was hoping she didn't come out, but James turned 
around; face set to neutral as best as he could get it. It was slowly being 
chipped away, "Lissi." 

She saw the look. She knew him well enough by now to know that he didn't really 
want to see her. She just shook her head. "Never mind." She turned and went 
back to her quarters. Her appetite was non-existent anyway.

"Liss," James started to say, but he couldn't come up with the words. She 
stopped, at least she waited. It gave him a moment to think, "I thought coming 
by for dinner and settling everything was a good idea.. but, I don't think we 
can get past arguing to solve anything." 

She turned around slowly. "I thought we could keep our personal lives separate 
from our professional lives, James. I had no intention of arguing with you 
about anything. I already gave you my decision. You got what you wanted. What's 
left to argue over?" she asked quietly.

"Argue, wrong word. But.. dinner would be... awkward if all we're doing is miss 
each other while we're only inches away, don?t you think?" James took a few 
steps forward, "And I?m fully capable of separating the two. I just didn't 
expect you to draw the lines so quickly."

"Can we...go inside if we're gonna talk like this?" she looked up and down the 
corridor, not comfortable out in the open. 

He nodded, and followed Lissi. The doors closed behind him. James decided to 
wait, in case she had something to say.

"I didn't think a line had been drawn. Not yet, anyway." She took a deep 
breath. "Or maybe it has, I don't know. My whole perception on everything just 
turned upside down." Lissi wrapped her arms tightly around herself, in attempt 
to ward off the feeling of wanting to be in his arms.

"I was going to suggest a different approach to our... dilemma." James looked 
at her and he had to rub his arms as inconspicuously as possible. She had that 
kind of effect on him.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," she declared, closing the distance between the 
two of them. She hoped he would be accepting as she wrapped her arms around his 
waist and lay her head against his chest. 

It felt great to be this close to her and James held her tightly, "You're 
right. But you've gotta help me just this once, Lissi." 

Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them back effectively before telling 
him, "I am. I'm sending your request to Ketchum with my full recommendation. I 
think you'll be great in Covert Ops." She couldn't bring herself to look up at 
him. She knew the price of fulfilling his request.

"Make it a half way transfer," James said simply, "I'll still work in 
Tactical... and less in Covert Ops."

"You mean...like a liaison with Tactical?" She looked up at him. "You would be 
satisfied with that?"

"As long as I?m working with something I'm familiar, Lissi. Not just stuck, I 
can't be stuck. Stuck means I have no place." James searched her eyes, "What do 
you think?"

"I think that Commander Karg would still be your supervisor," she said, 
smiling. "You do know how much work and scheduling conflict it's going to 
entail, right? I mean, playing liaison isn't easy." 

"I can cover both just fine," James gave her a reassuring smile.

"You really, really like making my life interesting, don't you?"

James moved his head closer smiling, "Remember, interesting, Liss, not 
turbulent." She couldn't respond as he closed the small distance and kissed her.


                
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