<USS Avalon> "The Reputation"

From: "Brad Ruder" <GroundZero@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 01:13:36 -0700

?The Reputation?
by Lieutenant Commander Javan Sierra
& Ensign Caine Reilly McKinsley

Caine stood in front of her full-length mirror and looked her self over. Wearing a black skirt that came a little below the knee and red, semi tight, but very nice blouse, she hoped she was dress appropriately. Of course, she had no idea what was appropriate, not knowing if this was a date date, or a business date; heck, for all she knew, this could be a work date, and Lieutenant Commander Sierra could be wanting her to counsel him.

Though Caine very much doubted this, she had already heard rumors that he was a very private man, and a bit of a ladies man. Sitting down at her vanity, Caine began to brush her hair. She brushed it back and began a loose braid at the nape of her neck. I don't want to become another notch on his belt, she thought, as she secured her braid with a black leather strip.

He wasn't at all nervous. Javan never was edgy or anxious about anything. He'd just smile and move on past it like he did everything - and everyone - and continue on with his 'normal' life. Unfortunately, though, Javan's description and definition of what was normal was a bit skewed when it came down to it. It was just another date to Javan, but he knew that it could be the world to the woman who he was dining with.

Pulling on his navy blue silk shirt, Javan tried to plan the night in his head. He unbuttoned it near the neck, exposing some of his chest, and ran a hand through his gel-filled hair. Checking his perfectly fitting black pants and almost getting blinded by the shine from his black shoes, Javan stepped out into the corridor and marched down the corridor. Cologne emanated from him, but that was just for show.

Taking a breath, Javan reached out and tapped the chime to his date's quarters.

Caine jumped slightly at the sound of the chime. "It's open," she called. Still in the back bedroom, she listened to the door slide open. "I'll be out in a minute." Caine looked around for her shoes, getting down on her hands and knees, she found them hiding under a chair she had moved from the living room into her bedroom. She reached out and grabbed them. She sat down on the edge of her bed and slipped her black strap shoes on. Her attention was totally turned onto her shoes and not Javan, she did not even know if he was still in her living room waiting.

Her quarters were lavishly decorated and very inviting. As opposed to most people, Javan was turned off by the complexity of the decorum. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, content with waiting until she decided to reveal herself. He just wanted a nice quiet evening with a nice dinner and some good wine. Something told him, something nagging at the back of his mind, that this was going to be more than he intended it to be. "Take your time. We've got all night."

She walked out of her bedroom, smoothing out her skirt. "Good evening, sir." Caine took all of Javan in, in one look, and damn, he was looking great. She felt a small blush begin to creep up her cheeks, and hoped to goodness that he didn't notice. She looked down, to hide her cheeks, and pretended to pick an invisible piece of fuzz off her skirt.

Fighting a smile he offered his arm. "Call me Javan, please. We're not off duty now so there's no need for stupid formalities and pleasantries. I'd like to say that you're looking positively stellar this evening. Maybe we shouldn't go out; putting all the ladies on the ship into shock at your beauty wouldn't be quite fair."

Snorting silently to herself, Caine thought, Yeah, like you haven't slept with all of them, anyway. "Thank you, Javan." She took his arm and they left her quarters. Feeling a bit bad about her thought, she turned her eyes away from him; I shouldn't judge him before I get to know him. No matter what I've heard around the ship.

"That's absolutely right. You know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover. Or the critics that give the books a bad name." Javan smiled and continued down the hallway towards the turbolift. He kept his eyes straight ahead and intent on their destination.

Her mouth fell open. "Hey! You were just in my brain. That?s not fair!" She had stopped in the middle of the hallway and watched him keep walking. Not wanting to get left behind, she hurried to catch up. "Do you always go into peoples minds?" She asked, as they entered the turbolift.

"No," he said shaking his head, "I don't do it on purpose. I hone in on thoughts about me or things that concern security and so on and so forth. I'm not trying to be rude, obviously, it just happens. I'll try to stop if you'd like. Most women find it attractive because I know what they want before have to tell me. Crew Lounge."

Thinking about it, Caine began to chew on her bottom lip, something she did whenever she was contemplating something. "I would prefer it if you kept out of my mind, but if it's hard for you to do, then it's okay. I don't want to disable you in anyway."

He looked appalled, "Disable me? That's quite funny. I will keep out, just stop thinking about what a scoundrel I really am and how bad the rumors are about me and we'll be just fine." The turbolift stopped and he motioned for her to take the lead - which she did - and they walked into the lounge.

The room was baron and deserted. One table with a lavish setting and velvety tabletop covers and crystal wine glasses, lit by candlelight, sat in the center with a Bolian in a tuxedo with a plastic tray. They crossed the room, her eyes roaming the beauty, and Javan pulled out her chair in the time-honored gentlemanly fashion.

"Thank you," she whispered in an awed voice. The room was quite beautiful. "I feel like I'm in some kind of romance novel," giggling slightly from nervousness, Caine had a hard time looking Javan in the eyes. "Did you do all this for tonight?" Secretly she was wondering if he did this for all his dates.

After seating the Bolian walked over in a very prestigious manner. "What can I get for you two? Wine?"

"Ladies first." Javan motioned with his hand across the table.

"Oh, wine, would be lovely." I hope this calms my nerves a bit, the only date I've ever been on was with my betrothed, and that doesn't really count. The Bolian poured some wine into her glass and Caine took a small sip of it.

"And for me as well, please." The liquid entered his glass and he took a sip of it after swirling the contents in the glass. It couldn't have been more than a second and the food was on the table. Italian food was steaming hot and the pasta was covered in a sauce that tickled the nose. He grabbed his glass and raised it towards her, "A toast, to new beginnings."

"To new beginnings," Caine raised her glass to Javan, and then took another sip of it. The wine was wonderful and the food smelled great. She couldn't wait to dig in and hoped that Javan wouldn't mind dinning with a girl that really ate. Caine was not the kind of girl who just ate a salad on the date and pigged out on junk food once alone. Actually, Caine's eating habits had been one of the reasons her ex-betrothed had called off the arrangement. Turns out the man preferred his women to be bordering on an eating disorder.

They talked for an hour or two. They covered everything from family to their careers, to dreams and back to siblings. It was endless discussion as they ate and drank. "And so I told the guy that if he didn't take his hands off me, I'd remove them permanently from both his body and mine." He laughed as he scooped another spoonful of food into his mouth.

"Well? What happened?" she asked. She was very much enjoying Javan's company, he told great stories and was easy to make conversation with too. Caine took another bite of the delicious food and waited for him to continue.

A smile tugged at his lips, "Well, let's just say that he'll listen to me next time I tell him to do something."

Caine looked at him in disbelief, "you didn't, did you?" Javan nodded his head. Laughing, Caine had to put down her fork of food. "Oh, that is too funny."

Javan's eyes drifted across the room to the chronometer. He sighed. "It's getting late. Can I walk you back to your quarters?"

Caine looked over at the chronometer as well. "It is late." Caine looked down at the table. She did not wish this date to end, and she was slightly nervous that all the rumors were true and that Javan was going to try to sleep with her tonight. Looking back up at him she gave him a weak smile and nodded, "that would be much appreciated, thank you."

They walked, arm in arm, back to her quarters. He smiled at her with his trademark smile and kissed her gently on the lips. His hand caressed her face for a moment before staring deeply into her eyes. "I had a wonderful time this evening, I almost didn't want it to end."

She leaned her face into his caress slightly. Caine had never been treated this well before by a man outside of her family. Caine stared into his brown eyes, wishing he would kiss her like that one more time. "Tonight was enjoyable, Javan. Thank you for asking me to dinner," her voice was a whisper. She wanted to invite him in so badly, but she was a little scared to do so.

"You remember when you said you felt like you were in a romance novel?"

Caine began to blush, something she did often. Turning her eyes from his in embarrassment, she said, "Yes, I remember."

He turned her face toward his and kissed her, a bit more aggressively. "Well, there's one element of the story we haven't covered." A sly grin crossed his features as he kissed her again.

She leaned into the kiss, enjoying it fully. In the back of her mind though, a tiny voice told her to stop this before it got out of hand. Caine pulled away suddenly. "No, I can't do this." She stepped back from Javan and looked up at him. "I'm sorry Javan. Tonight has been wonderful it really has, but I'm not about to become another notch on your belt. Plus I'm new to this whole dating thing. I really am sorry." Caine turned to go into her quarters.

Snatching her arm quickly, he pulled her back. "I'm not interested in a one night stand, Caine."

Caine's startled eyes met his. "You?re not?" she asked breathlessly.

"No," Javan said almost as breathlessly as she was.

Caine was about to lean up and kiss Javan, when she suddenly she remember where they were and that someone could come walking down the hall any minute. "Javan, I truly hope that you?re being honest with me, but I am not ready to take a relationship that far yet. If you truly like me, then you'll wait till I'm ready. I just can't sleep with you yet, I'm sorry."

"Of course, whenever you're ready." He kissed her once again and whispered in her ear, "I had a wonderful evening." With that he turned on his heel and marched off down the corridor.

Watching Javan leave, Caine turned walked into her room. Leaning against the door, she kind of wished she didn't have all the baggage she was carrying, and that she could throw caution to the wind and be free. But that just wasn't her. Pushing away from the door, Caine went and got ready for bed. Climbing into bed, her lips still tingled from the kisses, and she knew she would dream of one very handsome commander tonight.

<USS Avalon> "The Reputation"

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