Nathan walked Captain Alcon home and they'd had supper and afterwards she'd put on some quiet music and turned the lights down and sat down with her head in his lap and their fingers intertwined. She'd changed her mind about going to the Soma. And the way she looked throughout dinner he'd vetoed any wine or stronger beverages.
She closed her eyes and said, "I had a session with Kassia this evening and that was why I just happened to be by medical when you were due to get off duty." She paused, tried to start again, and fought the urge to get up and pace. His free hand moved and rested by her right ear and gently caressed her face and hair. "I'm sorry," Jayme said laying there.
"For what?" he asked.
She frowned, and shrugged her shoulder, and said, "For worrying you." She opened her eyes and looked up into his, and continued, "you are the best thing that has happened to me in so long and to think...I could lose you over something that happened so long ago. Nathan, I've blocked the detail so hard that even Kassia is having trouble getting them out. Unfortunately, even blocked certain things have come up between us and it bothers me...hence the migraines and the nightmares."
He brought her hand that was intertwined with his up and kissed the back of her hand and held it to his chest, "I never meant for my conversation with Kassia to spill over onto you...you certainly don't need added stress of having to deal with me. You have a hard assignment for the next 18 to 24 months in the corps. I just need to figure out how not to bring work home with me when I'm off duty. It was suggested that I join a Karate class, or Racquetball league, or take up visiting the holodeck."
"When did you talk to the Good Counselor?" Jayme asked watching his face soften.
I had a session just after noon meal, basically it was about stress reduction and an official meeting for my records...and I let it slip about out....That I as concerned about you. She wouldn't give me any information just that I should hang in there and when the time was right you'd tell me." He paused, then said, "she also encouraged me to find hobbies and activities that I can to with or without you to help keep work-at-work. Also we talked about the woman that I am in love with, who is a 'gung ho' marine and keeps coming back banged up and exhausted."
"Once the airlift units are ready and mobile, I will have fewer demands crowding my days. I am almost though the text book material for my courses. My unit is shaping up, and unless the colonel changes my duty assignment or perimeters again I should be on a real schedule. "I am glad that you are here, and your tutoring and hard ass approach to calling it quiets for the night have been helpful-- I'm not always happy about it but...it's OK."
Nathan watched tears form in her eyes as she fought to find the words, he suggested, "Jayme take a deep breath if its easier for you to tell me with your eyes closed then do, go slow." He noted the gray damp skin color was back and that she felt cold. He reached across the couch and pulled the lap blanket down over her. "Nothing you tell me is going to make me get up and leave you...you understand me."
With a sigh, she wet her lips and started in on the details she could remember... "It was the night before I was supposed to leave Europa station for Earths OCS training. I was a senior sergeant and a corpsmen. My bunk mates were coed and we swapped favors but I'd been involved with one individual and when I refused to party, that person or persons arranged a going out party. Next thing I know is I' wake up drugged in the middle of a party, undressed, being used as punching bag or assaulted by others...this went on for a long time till I passed out and was found by station security. Minimal report given, no one could find a senior officer to cancel my transfer and I didn't talk to security or to the corpsmen in sickbay...they wanted to bust me, "On a hold to Starfleet medical on Mars," but I'd left for Earth."
"Damn." Fletcher said, as he wiped a tear from her cheek. "Why didn't you go to mars and get the help and file the reports?"
"I was ashamed and scared to go. My mother ran Starfleet medical on Mars and that wouldn't have worked out well. I just wanted to run and work really hard in the OCS program, so I didn't have to think or to feel." She paused, forcing herself not to cry, and then said, "to be honest, I don't want to bring all of this back up here or now, but if what we have together is going to work...I have to try."
She was softly crying and had both hands covering her face. She rolled to a seated position, stood and paced around the little room for a few minutes before walking into her sleeping chambers. He sat for a bit hoping she'd return. Finally, he followed her into the bedroom and found her face down on the bed inconsolable ... he sat down and rested his hand against her back and whispered, "its going to be O.K. I love you more now then ever!" He looked at the time and decided to let her cry a while longer. Thirty minutes was long enough she was working herself into a migraine. He tapped his combadge, Dr. Fletcher to Kassia."
[Kassia here] came the response though the comm. [What's going on?] There was concern in Kassia's voice.
"We've had dinner, and we've talked and she's told me about the assault but she has decompensated and has been in tears for over an hour. Any ideas?"
[You're in Jayme's quarter's, right?] she asked, knowing that's where they were, but waiting for a confirmation.
Nathan said, "Yes."
[Okay. I'll be there in 10 minutes] Kassia replied and cut the transmission.
Nathan went and unlocked the main door and turned up the lights and went back to the bedroom. He got a cold damp wash cloth and mopped her face and neck with it, it tricorder was on and the heart rate and EEG waves were cycling fast. He leaned a cross her back and spoke reassurances into her ear and massaged the back of her head...anything to keep positive physical contact.
Kassia entered through the door of Jayme's quarters. This had been part of the gamble she had taken using this technique. Now, she was going to help recitfy the problem. However, she felt that part of what she had hoped would be accomplished had happened. She walk back into the bedroom and found Nathan and Jayme. Swiftly she was beside them.
"It's all right . . . Everything will be fine now . . ." Kassia said as she gently touched Jayme's head. She shut her eyes and focused her own mind. Her first priority was taking away the migraine. Once that dulled she went to work on Jayme's anxiety and emotional pain. That was harder to get back under control. She took several deep breaths and focused. Kassia allowed a strong sense of peace to flood Jayme's system. One that would stay for awhile to keep her calm. As Jayme's tears subsided Kassia let go of her.
"Are you feeling better, I hope?" she said, sensing that her friend was definitely in better shape.
Jayme pushed herself up on her elbows and looked a Kassia and then at Nathan. "The pain and confusion that were overwhelming me are gone... Thank you." Jayme rolled and sat Indian style in the middle of the bed.
Kassia smiled gently. "I'm sorry that happened," she replied. "You should be fine now. But if there are any more problems, let me know immediately, okay?" Kassia made herself more comfortable on the edge of the bed and looked at Nathan--finally she decided to let him stay since he'd slid in behind and was sitting around Jayme her back resting against his chest, there was Jayme I want you to close your eyes and I would like for you ...if you can to tell me what happened that day on Europa. Can you do that?"
Jayme with her eyes closed felt drained and but a part of her didn't want to open that set of memories again. For the next few minutes Jayme in a quiet voice told broken up pieces of the story. Kassia kept looking at Nathan and saw the pain in his face and knew that it was the same story she'd told him before. Finally Jayme opened here eyes crying again. She reached out a hand and took Kassia's. She bit her lower lip and took some deep breathes. Kassia knew this wasn't the whole story but the highlights.
"I think I just want to sleep." Jayme said with a yawn. She was watching Kassia when Nathan ran a bioscan of her and nodded. "I thought I was going to have to resort to medications Kassia. Thank you for coming."
"Sleep will do you good. You've had an eventful day," she said softly, her green eyes shining. "Sleep and if you need to talk, you know where to find me on and off duty."
"I'll sleep for a few hours and then I have duty. I know where to find you both." She smiled at Kassia but winked at Nathan. "Can you stay, Nathan?"
"Yes." Nathan said toeing off his boots and removing his jacket.
Kassia giggled softly. "Enjoy your nap, You two," she said with a smile. "See you both later." With that Kassia vanished out the door.
He followed Kassia out to lock up, turn off lights, place a call to the gunny's desk and one to sick bay placing both Capt Alcon and himself on sick call." He put his own security over ride on the door so she couldn't sneak out.
He stripped down to his shorts and crawled into bed to find Jayme already in place. Tentatively he moved to spoon up against her. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Sweet dreams." She kissed his shoulder and fell instantly asleep.