<USS Avalon> "Magic"

"Magic"
By Lieutenant Second Class Melanie Redgrave and Ensign Elijah Dareth

 

It had taken the better part of an hour to just pick out what she was going to 
wear. It had taken a little over an hour to get ready. Melanie stood in front 
of the mirror in her bathroom as she put on the gold earrings that she felt 
went best with the midnight blue dress she?d picked out. 

She stepped back from the mirror and flipped her hair so it cascaded over her 
shoulders and down her chest and then bit the tip of her tongue. She wasn?t 
sure what Elijah had planned and she hoped she was dressed right. As Melanie 
moved into her bedroom to put her shoes on she started thinking about how 
nervous she was. It had been quite a while since she?d been an a first date. 

Elijah walked to Melanie's quarters so that he'd arrive exactly on time. He was 
a bit of a stickler about being on time. He carried three white carnations - 
the real thing, as he'd called in a favor and had one of his friends bring some 
up from the surface. They were tied with a ribbon. 

He stood outside her door waiting before pressing the chime. He straightened 
his jacket a bit over his navy colored shirt. He favored the blue because it 
brought out the color in his eyes. He was trying for a nice look with the dress 
pants and jacket, but he didn't want to look too overdone by adding a tie. He 
was surprised that he cared so much and nearly laughed at himself. He pressed 
the chime. 

Melanie actually jumped at the sound of her chime even though she?d sensed 
someone out side her door. She quickly finished doing up the strap on her 
little strappy heels and then gave herself one last look over before she walked 
over to the door. As her finger hovered over the release button she tried to 
recall if she?d had this many blasted butterflies in her stomach the first time 
she and T?Arah had gone out. 

After taking a deep breath that she let out slowly, Melanie opened the door and 
smiled. A smile that grew brighter as she took in the handsome man before her. 
Wow, she thought, he cleaned up really nice. 

"Right on time. I like that." 

She was breathtaking. He always had thought she was cute and at times, like on 
the carousel, just downright beautiful. But this time...there wasn't words to 
describe what the sight of her did to his nerves. The dress was perfect for 
her. She knew exactly how to accentuate her features. He smiled what he knew to 
be a huge grin, "You look wonderful." Holding out the flowers, "These are for 
you."

Taking the flowers Melanie brought them right to her nose. They reminded her of 
the back garden and her eyes seemed to sparkle from both the memory and the 
gesture. "How sweet of you, they?re beautiful." She then looked right at 
Elijah. "You look pretty wonderful yourself tonight, Elijah." Melanie said in 
such a soft way that her accent made the words seem almost lyrical. "Won?t you 
come in for a moment? I?d like to put them in water."

He nodded and stepped inside, watching her move. She was so graceful, even in 
strappy shoes. And the way she said his name. He knew he was a sucker, but 
anything that she asked of him at that moment, he'd have a hard time saying no 
to. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. He really hoped that the evening 
wouldn't disappoint her. She deserved a nice night. He got the impression she 
was very busy with work and had been fighting whatever those personal family 
demons were and really needed the break. 

Melanie walked over to a old cherry wood chest in the back corner of the room 
and opened it. She skimmed it?s contents and then finally retired a crystal 
vase from it. As she placed the flowers in it and then made her way over to the 
replicator to get the water she was fully aware that she was being watched and 
she had to admit at least to herself that she was enjoying the feeling. 

Once she?d finished with the flowers that she placed in the center of her small 
coffee table she walked back over to Elijah. "I think they were just the thing 
this place was missing. Thank you." 

"You're welcome. Are you ready? I don't mind waiting if you aren't - though I 
can't think of what else you could possibly do to look better," he blushed at 
his own compliment for her. "Oh, do you have a wrap of some sort? It'll be a 
bit cold where we're going." 

His question intrigued Melanie. "I have one that goes with this dress. I wasn?t 
planning on bringing it but I can fetch it." She told him as she made her way 
back into her bedroom. She fished the wrap out of her closet and then came back 
into the living room with it wrapped around her upper arms and draped around 
her forearms. "I?m ready. Where are we going?" 

"To the surface. Alaska to be specific. There is this resort outside of 
Anchorage called Alyeska. They have," he stopped, his eyes twinkling. "Well, 
you'll see when you get there." 

It had been an even longer time since she?d been surprised on a date and 
Melanie was really starting to look forward to the evening. She walked beside 
Elijah as they headed for the transporter room. "I?ve never been to Alaska 
before." 

"It's beautiful. Especially this time of the year when there is fresh snow. I 
checked. The mountains are totally different from Tennessee and those are my 
first love...but Alaska is beautiful in its own right." 

It didn't take long for them to show up in the lobby of the Alyeska resort. The 
lobby entrance was an eclectic mixture of elegant and antique native Alaskan 
work. It gave it an old and new feeling all at once. 

"Will you be dining in the observatory?" the Concierge asked. 

"Yes, please," Elijah told him and was handed two electronic tickets. They were 
given directions and Elijah guided Melanie to the entrance with his hand 
lightly on the back of her waist.

They stepped through a doorway into another waiting area and directly ahead was 
another glass paneled door leading to a tram car, completely done with windows.

"We take this to the top of the mountain," Elijah told her. "I hope the view is 
nice since it's already dark." 

Melanie was impressed, not only by her surroundings which were breathtakingly 
beautiful, but by her companion as well. He had obviously given this evening a 
lot of thought. She looked over at him and smiled. He was very handsome and 
clearly a very kind soul. It amazed her that at this particular point in her 
life someone like him would just pop in, literally, baring ice cream. "I?m sure 
the view will be simply amazing."

They entered the car and after a few moments it began moving slowly up the 
cables to the top of the mountain. Though it was dark, there was enough lights 
on the ground to make out snow covered trees as they rose above them, closer to 
the stars. Melanie was staring out the window intently and he couldn't help but 
look at her when he thought she wouldn't notice and think he was some kind of 
idiot for being unable to keep his eyes off her. He still couldn't believe his 
luck. The more he talked to her and the more he found out about her, the more 
he wanted to get to know her.

It took nearly twenty minutes to reach the top of the mountain before they 
stepped out into a glass enclosed dining room. Even the ceiling was made of 
glass and kept clear of snow. The lighting was soft, so that patrons were still 
able to see out. 

Melanie gasped as they entered the dinning room. She looked all around as they 
were shown to a table and for the briefest of moments she wondered if she 
looked like a real dope staring at everything as if she?d never seen snow. She 
couldn?t help but spin around as she stood next to the table. She wanted to 
take it all in, the falling snow, the tree tops, the stars. "It?s like being in 
one of my snow globes." She said aloud before she realized she was speaking out 
loud. Then she blushed. That was such a childish thing to say.



Elijah watched her with wonder. She could look so innocent sometimes. He much 
preferred this look to those of worry. He didn't understand why she got so 
embarrassed of such things. Holding out her chair for her, he said quietly, "If 
we're in a snow globe, I guess that makes you the princess. When's the last 
time you got to pretend to be a princess?" He asked in all sincerity.

"I think I was twelve." Melanie replied with a bit of a laugh as she eased into 
her seat. "Once reality of our history sinks in we English girls quickly switch 
out day dreams to something less... English." 

"So tell me your daydreams," he said, truly interested. The waiter had handed 
them menus, but Elijah ignored it, waiting for her next words. 

Melanie took the menu but didn?t bother to look at it. Her resolve to remain 
aloof and safely tucked away in her protective tower was slipping away more and 
more with each moment she spent with Elijah. "Well, once I got past the 
princess stage there was the fantasy about being a great Scotland Yard 
Inspector, and for a short time after watching an old earth movie I wanted to 
be a Australian sheep rancher. Then there was the theater, that one seemed to 
come and go but never really ended I guess. Which might explain my catalog of 
holodeck programs." Melanie noticed the man standing at the table with the wine 
list but paid him no attention. "But I guess my greatest day dream?ll never 
happen, not even on a holodeck."

Turning his head to the side a bit, he asked, "Which is? If it's not too 
personal, of course." The waiter with the wine list stood back at a respectful 
distance and waited patiently. For the longest of seconds Melanie just stared 
into Elijah?s warm and trusting blue eyes. Then sighed. She hadn?t meant for 
things to go in this direction but she was sure things would pick up. The whole 
purpose of a date was to get to know the person you were with after all. "To 
find out who I am and where I really came from. Thought I was close but.. how 
do you yanks say it? Close only counts in horse shoes?" 

"And hand grenades," he finished for her. "By that I assume you were...adopted? 
And sorry, but an Australian sheep rancher?" he asked comically, in reference 
to her earlier statements. 

Melanie couldn?t hide the fact that he?d clued in to that little tidbit bit 
about her so quickly. "Yes I am, by an amazing couple. I adore my parents, but 
I just needed to know where I came from." She needed to tread carefully. It was 
ok to talk about herself but she had to keep Skyler out of it. Melanie then 
smirked as she answered his last question. "I watched this movie called the 
Thorn Birds until the data chip finally destabilized."

"You'll have to show me sometime...Can't imagine wanting to herd sheep. But, I 
guess I can understand your desire to know your parents. I don't know what I'd 
do if I didn't know my genetic family...probably the same. Have you found out 
much?"

"My birth father was in Starfleet and my birth mother was a doctor." Melanie 
begin. The ease she felt at telling him shocked her. "They were both killed 
during the war, but I have a sister." Melanie left it at that. She then looked 
over at the waiter who had moved out of ear rang and motioned him over. "I bet 
they have a wonderful catalog here." 

Knowing she said all she was comfortable with, Elijah helped her choose a wine, 
and vowed not to bring up the issue unless she did. This night was supposed to 
be a distraction. "Well," he said, after the wine was ordered and their menus 
perused, "I've made you do all the talking, I'm sorry. Is there anything about 
me you want to know other than the fact I hate peas... and sheep herding has no 
appeal?" 

Melanie laughed. "Peas really are vile little bits as are Brussel sprouts." She 
crinkled her nose in disgust at the mere mention of the fowl little vegetables. 
Then she thought about what she?d like to ask. "Well," she said as she thought 
about it a bit more. "What about your family?"

"Well, I have younger twin sisters, Eliza and Trinity. There's seven years 
between us. My mom is a law professor, my dad is a pretty in-demand song writer 
for the movers and shakers in Nashville. Um...Mom is really proud of my 
Starfleet career, my dad hates it. He doesn't understand why I'd want to live 
so "rigidly" as he puts it. That's...about all, really. My mom is loving and 
has a good heart, but pretty tough - walk the line and all. My sisters are more 
like my dad. Trinity paints beautiful pictures and Eliza likes to play around 
on stage. And they would love you. Especially Eliza, she'd just sit around 
trying to absorb your accent," he laughed, not having realised how much he 
missed them until then. 

Melanie gave him a warm and comforting smile. "I miss my Mum too." She said 
before she realized what she was doing. She then flinched as her face grew 
warm. "Sorry, I didn?t meant to ?pick? that up. I?ve never been able to control 
this weird sense of mine." Then she laughed a little. "Though I understand 
where it came from now. My birth mother was partly Betazoid." 

Melanie watched as the waiter poured their wine and then sipped it. Her eyes 
rolled like they always did when she was experiencing something heavenly. 
"Perfect..." Then she looked back at Elijah. "Maybe it?s the Brit in me, all 
the stiff upper lip bullocks, but I don?t think Starfleet is.. ridged.. And I?d 
be glad to help your sister with my accent if she could teach me yours."

He laughed at that. "My accent? I've been trying for years to ditch my accent. 
And I thought I was doing a good job of it... Oh well." He sampled his wine as 
well and it was really good. He loved a good merlot. "I hadn't really thought 
much about going home, don't know why. But talking about them... In fact, in 
Eliza's last letter she said she was doing some community plays. I should 
probably go see her. You're more than welcome to come along. We wouldn't have 
to stay or anything. At least you'd get to see my favorite mountains. Well, the 
mountains aren't in Nashville, more on the eastern side of the state, but we'd 
still go see them." He was a little surprised at how easily the invitation came 
to him. And he wasn't nervous either. Though still a bit in awe of being out 
with her, she was so warm and disarming that he felt comfortable. 

"You really should go and see them. I plan on seeing my Mum before we leave," 
she told him as she watched the way his features moved as he spoke. "And I?d 
love to pop down and see your mountains, but you have let me take you to London 
in return." Were they already making more dates before the first was even over? 

Elijah smiled at the prospect. He adored her company. Adored her. "It's a 
deal," he told her, rather excited over the possibility. 

The waiter had brought the food they ordered, which was excellent. Alaskan 
halibut was one of his favorite things. They fell into easy conversation over 
dinner and he was slightly disappointed to see dinner end. But he still had one 
more surprise.

Once they made their way back down the mountain, Elijah told her, "We're gonna 
pop a little farther north, in hopes to catch the Northern Lights. It may get a 
little colder. Are you okay with that? Will you be warm enough?" Melanie 
wrapped the seemingly thin midnight blue wrap around her tightly and nodded. 
"It?s warmer than it looks. Growing up in rainy London you find ways to keep 
warm and still look as if you belong at the dull parties your parents drag you 
to." She laughed again. Laughing came easy when she was him. She liked that and 
yet it scared her a little as well. "I hear that side from the stars on a clear 
night the Northern Lights are the most beautiful and mystical thing one could 
ever gaze upon."

He nodded, not wishing to elaborate, wanting her to see it for herself. He 
couldn't wait until he saw the look on her face, that slightly open-mouthed 
awed expression that tended to embarrass her when he noticed.

They transported to Fairbanks and took a skimmer to right outside the city. A 
guide had pointed out the best place - an overlook, completely dark.

Elijah helped Melanie from the vehicle and they walked to the safety railing. 
It was a heck of a lot colder than he expected and knew they wouldn't be able 
to spend much time at all, but at least they'd get a glimpse.

The light show was in full spectacular mode that evening, it seemed. Perhaps 
even the heavens knew what a special night it was for him. The swirling colors 
of green, pink, blue, and purple bended and folded themselves against the sky, 
looking as they had a place to get to. The sight took was amazing, though he 
had seen them before. 

He turned and looked at Melanie. She shivered and pulled her wrap closer. There 
was some snow on the ground and she had completely the wrong shoes on. He 
silently cursed himself for not preparing her better. He took a step closer and 
placed his arm around her, hoping to warm her just a bit. "What do you think?" 
he whispered. 

Melanie instinctively leaned into Elijah, or at least that?s what she would 
tell herself later, as she watched the lights dancing for them. "Stunning." She 
said, the word rolling from her lips in a perfect white puff. "I don?t think 
I?ve ever seen anything so magical." 

"I don't think I've ever felt anything so magical," he said quietly before he 
realised it. 

She looked up at him for a moment. She wasn?t sure what to say. After a moment 
she smiled. "It?s been a wonderful evening, Elijah, quite magical itself. It 
isn?t every day a lost princess gets to have dinner with a prince in a snow 
globe and then watch an enchanted light show." Melanie leaned up and kissed 
Elijah lightly on the cheek. "Thank you." 

"No, thank you," he told her, feeling his face flush with that kiss. "We should 
probably go before your toes freeze," he told her. 

She looked down at her shoes and nodded. "That?s probably a good idea. 
Georgia?s become a bit of a mother hen, when I can find her, and I?d hate to 
explain how I got frost bit on my toes cause I was trying to look cute." She 
smiled and took Elijah's offered arm and then allowed him to assist her to the 
skimmer. 

It seemed like their trip back to the ship took no time at all and Elijah was 
sorry to see it end. He could've spent hours talking to her. They walked arm in 
arm back to her quarters and he wasn't exactly sure of end date procedures. 

They stood out side of Melanie?s door in comfortable silence for a few moments 
before things started to feel weird. After a few awkward moments Melanie 
finally spoke up. "I had a wonderful time tonight, Elijah. Thank you." She 
paused long enough to smile up at him and gage him a bit. "You?ll let me know 
when you?d like to head down again?"

"How about I call mom and make plans to visit? You able to get away soon?" He 
wanted to touch her face, her hand, her lips...but held back. He was not about 
to take any sort of liberties with her. 



"As far as I know I?m pretty much free." She said as she thought it over. "I?ll 
need a little notice before hand, and if anything comes up I?ll let you know." 
She leaned back on her door for a moment and just looked at him. "Thank you 
again for the wonderful evening, Elijah." And with that she leaned forward and 
kissed his cheek again, only this time a little firmer then she had on the 
planet. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Melanie." 


                        
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