When Coaimhe heard footsteps, she turned expecting to see Vidya, she
turned expecting to see Vidya. She liked Vidya. The woman was really
quite lovely and very sweet. She had no idea what surprise the other
woman might have had in mind but she was looking forward to it. Little
things like that brightened the day. But instead of seeing her
Cardassian hybrid friend heading toward her, she saw Etienne, with a
rather peculiar look on his face and carrying a spectacular bouquet of
flowers.
"Etienne! I was just waiting for Vidya. She said to meet her here
because she had a surprise for me," she told him as he finally arrived
at her side.
"Ah, well, she is not coming--just me," he said with an easy shrug. "I
was going to take a walk on the holodeck, Coaimhe. Will you join me?"
"Of course! Where are we going?" she asked, curious but always glad to
be in his company.
"Ah, but that is part of the surprise," Etienne said, dark eyes
smiling. He held the bouquet out her. "But first, these are for you."
"Really? Oh, they're lovely, Etienne. Thank you," Coaimhe exclaimed,
pressing her nose into the mixture. "They're so bright and cheerful!"
"As are you," he said softly as he finished inputting the information he
wanted to setup on the deck. "Come, Coaimhe, shall we take a walk?"
Coaimhe recognized the setting as soon as they stepped inside. The quad
had been to Etienne's home on one of their leaves from the Academy. She
took a deep breath. The air was heavy with the scent of apples from the
orchard below. That and the slight chill in the air told her it had to
be some time in early autumn. "This is the back of your house,
Etienne. I love it. It's so beautiful here," she said, her emerald
eyes shining with delight.
He held his hand out to her. "Walk with me?" he asked. She took his
hand so easily. It was so much more delicate than his and it felt so
warm, so comfortable, in his, like it had belonged there all their
lives. "You know that this was all Vidya's set up. I wanted to talk to
you," Etienne said eventually as he led her down to the orchard.
"All of this set up just so that you could talk to me?" Coaimhe asked
softly, suddenly feeling shy with him.
"Mmm hmm. Vidya even picked the flowers, dragged me down to the
arboretum because she was tired of good French drama. she knew I would
still be staring out the observation window otherwise," Etienne said
with a self deprecating snort.
"What's the matter, Etienne?" She was looking up at him, into those
lovely dark eyes and at that warm smile. The look she saw there made
her face feel very warm.
"Nothing is wrong, Coaimhe. I..." He lifted his hand to rest it on her
chin and looked in her eyes. They were like two jewels set in the
porcelain of her face. "Je t'aime, Coaimhe. Since the day you first
sat next to me in the library I've loved you."
"You...love me?" Never less than a perfect gentleman. Always the same
quiet humor. The same dear friend who sat next to her at football
games even in the freezing cold. And who, in all that time, never
behaved any differently. "For /that /long?"
Etienne nodded slowly, unable to look away from those eyes. "Thirteen
years, Coaimhe. I did not want to ruin a friendship I treasure by
saying anything and you are very much my friend. You are the perfect
one for me: so very lovely, so smart, and so sweet. If you don't feel
the same, I will never bring it up again and hope that you will forgive
me for being so presumptuous."
"It's not presumotuos, Etienne," Coaimhe said softly. She knelt to
place the flowers on the ground then straightened to take hold of bith
his hands. Looking up into his eyes, she said, "Nor are you in danger
of losing my friendship...or my love. It's beautiful to love your
dearest friend."
As the realization of what she was saying hit him, a grin spread across
Etienne's face. He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer
to him. The other hand stroked her cheek. Any thought of what he
called cowardice was gone. He bent his head and touched his lips to
hers. It was sheer happiness, the absolute fulfillment of a dream
thirteen years in the making. Nor was there any doubt but that Coaimhe
shared the sentiment. The passion and fervor in the kiss that was being
returned almost left him light headed,
"A man could die happy after that," Etienne said softly, a gentle smile
on hsi face, when they finally lifted their heads.
"Och, there'll be none of that talk, Etienne," Coaimhe said pertly.
"I'll be needing more of that kiss."
"Non, non, my bijou. I will be here, not to worry," Etienne said warmly
as he knelt to pick up the flowers. He handed them back to her with a
playful bow and a kiss on her hand. He then slipped am arm around her
shoulders. "Come with me. I know I took all three of you over every
inch of this place when we visited but it looks different now, with you
here."
Coaimhe wrapped her arm around his waist. It was so comfortable, so
right. "Thirteen years? Really?"
"Thirteen years, mon bijou."
"Your spots are flushed, Etienne," Coaimhe teased.
"T'Cerys and David won't mind?" Coaimhe asked, her face clouding.
"I'll escort you, mon bijou."
