<USS Banshee> "Amidst a Bubbling Bath"

From: "Brad Ruder" <GroundZero@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ussbanshee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 23:05:12 -0800

?Amidst a Bubbling Bath?
by Lieutenant Joshua Asper
& Ensign Telsia Ehling

Telsia sighed in frustration and put the PADD down, life was getting to her. She desperately wanted to talk to Josh about it all, but he had enough to deal with as it was. Getting up she checked on Cameron one more time before slipping into her and Josh's bedroom. She began to remove her clothes and found a robe to wear. Going on the bathroom she started a real bath, with hot water and bubbles. Once the tub was filled she climbed in and felt herself relax a bit.

The doors parted with their friendly hiss and the room opened up before him. Cameron played quietly in his playpen across the room and the sight of the stars and Cameron sitting brought the feeling of pure innocence to the company of such disorganization. Things had been better since Telsia and him had been reunited and blessed with a family. Although, even that that time of love, there was chaos. Time was fading on their relationship if she had to be transferred to another ship, but Josh wasn't ready to let go.

He walked through the quarters and towards the soothing sound of water rustling about. He stopped in the doorway and looked at the plain bath that Telsia was bathing in. "You know," Josh began, leaning against the doorway nonchalantly, "candles and bubbles would make this so much more peaceful and romantic."

Slightly startled by Josh's sudden appearance, Telsia turned and looked at him. A seductive smile spread across her face, "well you know, you could fix that and do one better," she winked and went back to just laying in the hot water, her eyes now closed again.

Josh disappeared for a moment or two and returned with several lit candles and set them up along the counters in the bathroom and dropped some beads into the pool of water and they sizzled to life. He watched as they bubbled around and a sweet smelling aroma drifted up into the air. He also held a bottle of a cream colored liquid, which swirled and moved fluidly in a glass bottle. "Vulcan Boretta Wine, thick and creamy - but just as delicious. Aged 2312."

He smiled as he removed his shirt and threw it helplessly to the floor before removing his pants and Starfleet-issue boxers. After testing the water, as was his custom, he climbed in next to her. He handed her a glass of the liquid and its smelled mixed almost perfectly with that from the bubbling effervescence of the water surrounding the duo. "I knew there was a reason why I asked for a bigger tub."

Telsia giggled and moved so that Josh's arm was around her shoulder and she laid her head against him, sipping the wine. "I'm glad you asked for a bigger tub." She kissed the side of his neck before settling in comfortably. "How has your day been so far?" she asked casually.

"Well, went to the bridge. Stayed on the bridge. Got blown off by the Commander and then came back here. Pretty much a normal day," Josh said with a smirk as he took a quick mouthful of the wine. He swished it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing and indulging in the precious feeling it gave him, "What about you?"

Sighing, she moved closer to him for comfort. "Nothing really, Cameron has been an angel today and I was able to get some work done, but that was it really," she finished off her glass, feeling the need to have the alcohol in her to calm her down a bit more. "I'm glad you?re home now," she whispered.

He tilted his head back to rest against the cool tile, "I've been thinking that if you can't stay here that I'll go with you. I'm sure that there is a spot somewhere that will take me as a tactical officer - at least a fighter pilot." He ran a hand over his bare chest and set the glass on the border of the tub next to Telsia's empty glass. He sighed heavily kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"That is actually something I wanted to talk to you about Josh," Telsia was slightly nervous at how Josh was going to respond to what she had to say, but she just had to say it. "I know you love this ship Josh, almost all of your friends are here, and I know you don't want to leave. As much as it hurts me to think this, it hurts me even more to say, if I have to leave, I think you should stay here."

She rushed on before he could say anything, tears brimming her eyes slightly, "now I know you love me, just as much as I love you, but you also love this ship and you fit in very well here, this is your home, I would just feel so guilty for pulling you away from your home because you felt obligated to leave with me and Cameron." Telsia sat there in silence, looking down at the bottom of the tub, where her and Josh's feet were, waiting for his response.

"No, I don't care anymore. I've been on this ship for long enough without any advancement. On a tiny ship like this there isn't that much room to move on besides what you've got when you first get here. Command structure and all of that, but it's all irrelevant now. I want to be with you more than anything that I've ever wanted before and there is no way that you can change that, there just isn't." Josh shifted uneasily and tilted her head up before kissing her. "I don't just want to go with you, I have to go. I couldn't think about not being with you - with Cameron - when there's so much I've missed already."

A small smile appeared on her lips after hearing Josh say that. She slipped her arms around his waist and kissed him back. "Are you sure, Josh?" she asked, when she pulled back, "I don't want you to end up regretting your decision or any kind of life you would have with me and Cameron." Telsia just wanted to be with Josh for the rest of her life, she knew that years ago but more then that, she wanted Josh to be happy, and if that meant him leaving her and Cameron again, or them leaving him, then so be it, as long as Josh was happy.

"Why do you say that I'll regret it? You know that I love you, don't you?" Josh perked and eyebrow and looked at her oddly.

"I'm not saying your going to regret it, I have just been thinking a lot is all and I don't want you to feel like you have been forced into anything because of all that has happened," she stopped right there and just let what she said hang in the air for a moment. Quietly she spoke again, "I'm sorry Josh, I just don't want to drag anyone down, especially you. More then anything in my life I want you to be happy, with or without me and Cameron," Telsia sighed heavily, "I'm sorry Josh, I'm making a mess of things."

Shaking his head he stood, lifted her out of the tub and stepped out onto the floor. After carrying her back into the bedroom Josh practically tossed her onto the bed, soaking wet, and crawled into sheets next to her. Without a word he began caressing her mouth with his own.

Completely startled at Josh's sudden actions, Telsia was about to let out a squeal when Josh's mouth covered her own. It took no time at all before she was kissing back with just as much passion as Josh was using, if not more.

He removed his mouth from hers before expressing his intentions, "I want you to see how much I love you."

<USS Banshee> "Amidst a Bubbling Bath"

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