<USS Avalon> "Let's Make a Date"

"Let's Make a Date"
By Lieutenant First Class Melanie Redgrave and Ensign Elijah Dareth
 
 
Elijah had been thinking about the previous evening all morning long.  It was 
slightly distracting him, but considering that the crew was on shore leave, he 
didn't think it was a big deal.  He had only been working on that project.  He 
headed to the lounge around lunchtime and was more than surprised at his luck 
at finding Melanie there.  
 
Melanie sat alone at the table by the window picking at a small salad as she 
tried in vain to write a letter to her mother. She wasn?t at all sure what to 
tell her.  Should she explain about Skyler? Tell her about what Georgia had 
said? She could always keep it simple and tell her about work and promise to 
come home before the ship left, but her mother wouldn't buy it. 
 
After staring at the PADD that only contained the Dear Mum line for another few 
moments, Melanie looked to clear her vision. A small smile tugged at her lips 
when she saw Elijah walk in. She?d had a very nice evening the night before and 
had actually been able to keep her mind quiet long enough to get some real 
sleep. 

 
Seeing her look up and smile, Elijah walked over to her table, hoping that he 
wasn't imposing.  "Feeling better, Melanie?" he asked.  
 
"As a matter of fact I am." She answered as she waved towards the chair across 
from her. "I had fun last night. It helped a lot to get away for a while. Thank 
you again." 
 
Elijah dipped his head, slightly embarrassed at her praise.  "You're welcome.  
I had a lot of fun too.  It's a lot more interesting riding roller-coasters 
with someone than by yourself.  And the company was  - very pleasant."  What's 
wrong with me? he wondered.  He felt as though he were blubbering and he was 
starting to feel all nervous.  
 
Melanie thought the look on Elijah?s face was cute and it made her smile. "I 
would have to agree on all counts. Especially the company." 

 
He swallowed thickly and looked at her.  Her smile made her look so pretty.  
And the fact she was complimenting him...  Oh, boy, Dareth, he chastised 
himself, You're diggin' yourself a hole this time.  "So are you going to take 
shore leave?" 
 
Sensing that her last line made him a little uneasy, Melanie decided to tag 
along on the current train of thought. "I might head down to London to see my 
Mum, but I have things to attend to here. Important things. So what about you?" 
 
"I - considered it.  I need to go see my mom and my sisters.  Just seems like 
every time I do, I get into an argument with my dad and I hate arguing.  But, 
wow, London.  Big city girl.  I kinda like the countryside myself.  I once went 
to England - this little town in Yorkshire called Knaresborough.  It was so 
quaint and the weather was all sorts of crazy.  I think it alternated rain and 
sunshine ten times in half an hour."  And now I'm rambling.  It was so easy for 
him to talk to people ordinarily, but now he couldn't get rid of that tickling 
sensation in the bottom of his stomach.  
 
Melanie watched the expressions wash over Elijah?s face and she blushed a 
little. "Elijah. Am I making you nervous?"

 
Taking a deep breath, he smiled, "No, you're not making me nervous.  I'm making 
myself nervous.  Y'see, it's easy for me to talk to people when I...don't have 
a real vested interest in them other than to make them feel better.  But I 
enjoyed our time last night, so much that..."  Honesty always had been the best 
policy, "That I pretty much found myself with a crush on you.  I'm sorry if 
that makes you uncomfortable," he said, rather rushed.  
 
"Would it help if I told you that it didn?t make me uncomfortable?" Melanie 
asked as she glanced at Elijah. "And that maybe I could find myself liking you 
as well?" 
 
"Yeah, that helps," he grinned.  "Though it's a bit surprising."  
 
Melanie looked at the young man across the table with her head tilted to the 
side. "Why is that surprising?" 
 
"Well, let's just say that I get a lot of crushes," he laughed at himself.  
"And so far the Elijah/girlfriend ratio has been a little on the sad side of 
things.  Not that I really mind - I like having so many friends.  I was just 
saying that I'm not used to...anyone showing interest, is all." 
 
Melanie nodded. "I can understand that. When I was planet-side I always seemed 
to have a large group of friends I liked to hang out with, but only dated one 
person seriously." Melanie reached out and brushed some of the droplets of 
water off her water glass. "So does this mean we?re friends with possibilities? 
Or just friends?" 
 
His eyes widened slightly with the question. He thought for a moment, trying to 
decide the most appropriate way to proceed.  He didn't want to mess this up.  
"I think that I'd like to ask you on a real date, if you wouldn't mind. And 
maybe by then I won't be so tongue-tied."  
 
"I think your kinda cute when your all tongue-tied." Melanie responded with a 
smile. "And I?d like that real date very much." 
 
"Thank you, Melanie.  You really are something.  Will you be busy tomorrow 
night?" 
 
Melanie thought for a moment. She still had a lot of protocols and procedures 
that came along with her new position to learn, she would honestly rather go 
out and have a good time. "What time shall I expect you?" 
 
"Eighteen hundred sound alright to you?  And what would you like to do?  Do you 
like dressing up a bit?"  
 
"Eighteen hundred sounds good to me." Melanie told him. "And I do like dressing 
up, and I trust you to pick out something enjoyable." 
 
"And what if I collapse under pressure?"  It was obvious he was teasing her.  
"Promise not to order me to clean the warp coils with a toothbrush?" 
 
"Now why would I do that?" She said with a dead pan look on her face. "I?m not 
an engineer. I do, however, have some goo covered scanners that could use a 
good washing up." A slow smile tugged on her lips to let the man across from 
her know she was kidding. 
 
"Goo-covered scanner cleaning.  Sounds like a lovely time," he rolled his eyes 
while he chuckled.  "You know, you never did tell me what you do." 
 
Melanie smiled. "I?m a forensic scientist. How about you? Other then being the 
ship's chief carebear."   
 
"Security.  And carebear?  Never heard that one before," he grinned.  "So, I'll 
see you tomorrow then?  Promise you won't change your mind?" 
 
With a nod and a warm smile Melanie replied. "I promise I won?t change my mind. 
Eighteen hundred, I?ll be ready and waiting." 
 
Elijah nodded a goodbye as he left, with a grin the size of Tennessee on his 
face and the feeling he could walk on air.  
 
As she watched Elijah walk away, Melanie smiled. She smiled until it dawned on 
her that she had a real live date. She then bolted out of her chair and headed 
for her quarters. She had to find something to wear. 



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