One Late Night

USS Taurus - Sickbay

Rahel was in sickbay on the Taurus. The lights were flashing and ODN relays were popping. Some of the panels were exploding, and she had dead all around her. There was someone on the biobed before her. He was covered with a blanket, but because of the stillness and lack of thought of emotion, she had a feeling that the person was already dead.

"What's the problem, doctor ?" Came the voice of her assistant.

Slowly she pulled the blanket down over the face and panic filled her. It was Ashraf !

*NO !* Her mind screamed out as she took a step backwards. She stumbled and found that she had tripped on a hand. When she looked up, the assistant that had been there was gone. Then it was just her and her dead brother. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth. Then the ship rocked and the body came off the bed and fell on her. Finally, she screamed out her fear and her agony of losing her brother.

Mirisam V

Suddenly, she was bolt, upright. She crawled out of the sleeping bag she'd been in and took a quiet, but deep breath to calm herself. She then stood and with the stealth of a cat left the building her and her fellow shipmates were sleeping in. The Marine on guard turned and glanced at her.

"Don't worry, it's me - Lieutenant Kahfre. I'm just going for a walk." She announced.

"But it's pitch black out there, Ma'am." He replied as he turned to looked at her.

"And your point is ?" She asked and then relented with a gentle smile. "Don't worry so much. I can see just fine."

"But…." The Marine protested.

"If I'm not back by daybreak, then you can send a search party. Until then, don't get your knickers in a twist." She said as she began walking off.

"Knickers . . . but . . ." All he could do was watch her disappear into the darkness.

Rahel walked to the edge of the forest, trying to avoid the graves and more triggers for her emotions, and then in through the trees, like it was lit up as bright as daylight. She could see everything clearly. She remembered the way back to the stump and took a seat. She then leaned back a bit and looked up at the sky and starred at the stars.

She wanted to shake the nightmare off, but she couldn't. She had never dreamed of Ash before. And now instead of the Baltimore, it was the Taurus. Things in her nightmare changed, but they stayed the same as well . . . There were all the dead around here . . . She was always the only one alive . . .

*Did that mean that she was always the one to survive because maybe she was meant to be a survivor ?* She pushed the thought away.

She was trying not to evoke more anxiety. But rest wasn't really what she wanted right now. Suddenly, she got up onto the stump and jumped up to a nearby tree branch. She then ran over it and jumped to another tree branch. She did this until she had exhausted the fun.

*At least I've exercised my balance and agility.* She thought. *And in the dark as well !*

But then she jumped back down to the grass and sighed, deciding to stretch out on the grass. As she did, she wondered just what she could do to make the nightmares go away. At first, she'd had pleasant dreams. She was sure of that. The memory of Logan's lingering kisses and tender caresses suddenly filled her mind and she smiled. If she could hold onto that memory during the entire time she slept, that would keep the nightmares at bay.

Suddenly, she felt a presence nearby. Her senses immediately came alert. But then, she realised who it was and smiled.

"I thought I might find you here." She heard a voice say, as the light from a wrist beacon, suddenly came on and shined on her for a moment.

"How did you find me in the dark ?" She asked.

"Oh, I have my ways." He smiled.

"I know you do." She replied in a voice suddenly as soft as velvet. She was well aware of the abilities Logan's cybernetic eye gave him, he must have followed the heat trail.

"Why are you out here instead of back there with the rest of us ?" Logan asked, as he took a seat beside to her.

She got up on one elbow and looked at him wondering if she could avoid the truth, but decided that she probably shouldn't . . . It was better just to be honest . . . even with herself . . . "I had another nightmare…" She admitted. "And I've had about four hours of sleep so I'm good to go . . ."

"Another nightmare ?" He replied, though not surprised. He knew the deaths would get to her again. It was only a matter of time.

She nodded.

"This one was different, it took place on the Taurus . . . I'm always surround by the dead . . . Only this time Ash was the person on the biobed . . ." She sighed and rolled onto her back looking back up into the night sky. "I don't know why I keep having the nightmare . . . maybe it means I'm the bringer of death . . . That I feel it affects everyone around me."

"You're a doctor, Rahel." Logan replied. "Do you honestly believe you're a bringer of death ?"

Tenderly, he caressed some hair from her face and gazed at her. She turned and looked at him and shrugged. "I don't know sometimes . . . Knowing what I can do . . ."

"But you don't just go around killing for fun." He replied.

"No . . ." She replied back and smiled gently. "I guess I'm still trying to reconcile that whole warrior Doctor thing." She smirked and laughed gently.

Even he smiled and laughed. "Yes . . ." He suddenly, stretched out beside her and put his arm around her waist. She turned to face him. "So what are you planning on doing for the rest of the evening ?"

"Well . . . I've already run through the branches." She replied, with a devilish smirk. "But I got bored."

"You what ?" He laughed.

"My night vision, it's as good as my day vision." She replied. "It's a snap for me to go romping through the trees or where ever . . ."

"That explains how you got out here so easily." He replied. "It took me about ten minutes to pick up your footsteps."

"Well, what were *you* planning for the rest of the night ?" She asked. "Aren't you tired ?"

"Maybe a bit….." He admitted. "….but not too tired to be with you . . . alone . . . in the dark . . ." His smile became impish.
She laughed. "Well, you have me." Rahel replied. "So what are you going to do with me ?"

Without thought, he reached over to her, bringing her close to him. He then brought his lips to her. When he was a breath away, he stopped. "This…" He answered, before capturing her lips with his in a kiss.