<USS Avalon> "Someone To Talk To"

"Someone To Talk To"
By Lieutenant First Class Melanie Redgrave and Ensign Elijah Dareth

 

Ensign Dareth decided to finally put away his pet project and relax a bit. He 
had been working on the coding problem for Marksbury's new security database. 
It was coming along, but at the moment he found himself a bit frustrated and 
knew it was time for a break.

He walked down to the lounge, planning on having a quiet drink while staring at 
the stars. However, once he was there and saw the frustrated looking woman walk 
through the room, his mission suddenly changed. She was pretty, but that wasn't 
his motivation. It was the look on her face that got him. She looked as if she 
carried too many burdens. 

She circled the room as if scanning for someone, but didn't seem to find them. 
Instead, she sat down heavily at one of the tables and stared absently into 
space, running her hand through her hair before propping her chin on it.

Dareth paused, considering leaving her alone, but she just looked so distraught 
that he thought she could use someone to talk to. After a quick stop, he walked 
to her table and just sat down opposite her. He placed as small dish of 
chocolate ice cream in front of her and smiled disarmingly, "Hi, I'm Elijah." 

Melanie was starting to think that Georgia was avoiding her. It seemed just as 
she had gotten to the place where the computer had reported her as being, the 
older woman had just left. The lounge had been her latest attempt after 
checking sick bay, Georgia?s quarters, a holodeck, and cargo bay two. It was 
with a bit of self-defeat that Melanie had flung herself into the closest 
chair. She was getting ready for a long night of feeling angry at the world 
when a voice caused her to jump. When she turned her head to see where it had 
come from she found herself looking at a rather cute ensign and a bowl of ice 
cream. 



"Um, hi?" She said as she looked at the young man. She then looked around to 
see if maybe he?d been talking to someone else. When she didn?t see anyone she 
looked back at him. "Can I help you with something.... Elijah?"

"Well, you could start eating the ice cream before it melts. Y'see, it's 
chocolate and I'm a firm believer that chocolate and someone to talk to goes a 
long way into easing whatever burdens you may be carrying." When first 
approaching people, he sometimes let his Tennesse drawl creep in ever so 
slightly. It was disarming and honest. That, and the fact that he genuinely 
cared how people felt, usually had them opening up rather quickly. And her 
voice was beautiful...it sure wouldn't be any trouble to listen to her all 
night if need be. 

For as long as she could remember, Melanie had an uncanny way of sensing wether 
people were being up front and honest or if they were lying, but she?d never 
understood it until she?d found her birth mother?s profile. Melanie smiled just 
a little at Elijah. He was being honest with her, and Melanie found this 
refreshing after all the lies. "Thanks." She said softly as she picked up the 
spoon. "Name?s Melanie by the way."

"That suits you," he told her. "Now, I'm not trying to be too pushy. Actually, 
I am being too pushy," he chuckled a bit. "You just looked so upset. I thought 
I'd try and make you feel better. But you can tell me to take a walk out an 
airlock if you want. I probably won't do it because I have this overfondness of 
oxygen, but I'd get the hint and leave you alone. It'd be a shame though, 
'cause I think I could listen to your voice all night." He winked at her, but 
not really in a flirtatious way. 



She couldn?t help but laugh, and she had to admit it felt good to do so. 
"You?ve got a very pleasant accent yourself, Elijah." She said before taking 
another small bite of the ice cream. When she lowered the spoon down into the 
bowl again she watched as she pushed the sweet frozen confection around. She 
should have known her mood was becoming visible to others, but she wasn?t 
really thinking about it. When she looked up again she was greeted by Elijah's 
smiling eyes. She knew she couldn?t tell him what was wrong, Skyler wouldn?t 
like that, but it would be nice to talk to someone. 

"You wouldn?t have happened to pass Nurse Lewis on your way in would you? I 
came in here looking for her but I think I just missed her.. Again..."

"Nurse Lewis...Nurse Lewis," he repeated. "Oh yeah! No, I haven't seen her. 
Sorry," he told her at seeing her reaction. "I just remembered that?s was who I 
was avoiding with the whole physical thing... There's just something real 
unsettlin' about turning your head and coughing." He grinned at her this time, 
hoping for a smile. "And compared to you, my accent sounds...downright 
bumpkinish." He took a big breath, "But...if you are really insistent on 
finding this Nurse Lewis, I could sacrifice myself on the alter of 
physical-getting and help you. Chances are Nurse Lewis has been looking for me. 
Or we could just aimlessly roam the ship looking in all the nooks and crannies. 
We may find someone more interestin' than this Nurse Lewis. You never know." He 
plopped both elbows on the table and placed his chin in his hands, staring at 
Melanie, waiting to gauge her reaction.

Melanie returned the smile before sighing just a little. "It?s ok, I?d never 
ask anyone to willingly go in for a physical. I don?t like them much myself. 
Besides I?m not really looking for her because of anything medical." Melanie 
paused a moment before going on. She hated having to side step things. She was 
all about being straight forward, but she had no choice here. "It?s more 
personal, but thank you for the offer. Maybe I?ll take you up on a favor to be 
named later."

"Hmm...how do I know you won't ask me for something more treacherous than a 
physical, huh? You have that sneaky look in your eye..." he let the sentence 
trail off hoping for another laugh which she rewarded him with. "Okay, then 
solution by distraction...." He shifted his hands and tapped his fingers 
against his chin. "Got any plans for this evening, Melanie?" 

She had to admit she was taken aback by his question. She was normally pretty 
good at gauging conversations but she didn?t see that coming at all. Melanie 
thought about it for a moment, she really wanted to talk to Georgia, but 
apparently Georgia didn?t wanna be talked to. "Nothing that hasn?t waited for 
years. Can?t see how a few more hours would hurt. Why?"

"Well," he drawled intentionally. "Are you afraid of heights?" 

Melanie shook her head but she had to admit she was intrigued and nervous all 
at once. "No, I don?t mind them at all."

"Good. Come with me?" he asked with hope in his eyes. 



                        
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