JP – Lt. Cmdr Hopper & Lt. Richards: Cosmic Duet (Part 4)
Robin Hopper
((Backyard – Richards Homestead))
It almost seemed like a distant memory now – the nerves Robin had felt approaching the Richards’ door for the first time. It had bubbled up quickly, with little warning, as it had dawned on her that she was really and truly about to meet his family. His whole family. And that their opinions of her would make or break the future she’d begun to consider with him. Maybe it was the realization that she had been considering some sort of future with him that had really thrown her.
But whatever the case, those nerves had fluttered away now – replaced by a gratitude that she had, as far as she could tell, been accepted… at least by most of them. Sam in particular seemed to take a shining to her. The auburn-haired Masters student, whose graduation from MSU had happily coincided with the timing of the wedding – and whose major in planetary science had happily coincided with Robin’s doctorate in Physics – already had Robin wishing her own sister could be so easy to get along with.
Sam: Is rescuing different planets from certain doom a regular occurrence out there on Amity?
Robin looked up at the younger woman while they stood at opposite sides of a round table that would soon house a collection of wedding gifts, attempting to straighten out the tablecloth.
Hopper: ::Chuckling:: Actually, that was while I was still assigned to the Wall Street, before my transfer to Amity Outpost. Come to think of it, it may have been my first away mission. Before that, I’d mostly been relegated to the computer science lab. ::Motioning with her chin:: I think you need more on your side.
Sam: ::Giving the tablecloth a good yank:: A computer science lab sounds like a dream to me. Saving planets, saving lives and all that sounds terrifying to be honest. ::Smirking:: No wonder Nathan likes you. You’re wild like him.
Robin smiled to herself, amused at being called ‘wild’. She certainly didn’t think of herself that way. Adventurous maybe. That was probably true of all Starfleet Officers. But ‘wild’? If anything, that described Nathan’s family — so connected with the nature right outside their door, rather than the distant reaches of space.
Sam looked towards the house, catching her two brothers in the upstairs window. The two seemed to be laughing about something before Nathan looked out the window at them. In what could only be described as perfect timing, Nathan pressed his face against the window. Sam rolled her eyes before looking back to Robin.
Sam: oO Gross Oo
As they continued adjusting, Robin finished what she was saying.
Hopper: Well, needless to say the Dokkarans were pretty happy to have the asteroid redirected before it entered their system. Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve ever been so tense – knowing that my calculations, the trajectory I’d come up with, was all that stood between an entire Federation world and total destruction… But, after that, I had a lot more opportunities to do more ‘applied science’. Fieldwork. That’s how you get a senior staff posting and move up in Starfleet.
Sam: It sounds like you’ve done some amazing work out there. I can only hope to be half as great as you someday. ::Slightly mortified look:: oO Wow, Suck up much Sam? Oo
Robin snorted.
Hopper: I’m sure I would have said the same thing to any Starfleet officer when I was just finishing my degree. Don’t sell yourself short. And, more importantly, stop making my head so big. I need to look good in pictures today. ::Chuckling::
Finally, the tablecloth looked acceptable, and Robin lifted the small harp statue – Nate’s soon-to-be-brother-in-law was, apparently, a skilled harpist (who knew?) – onto the center of the table. Stepping back from her work, she rested one hand on her hip, and the other on Sam’s shoulders.
Hopper: ::Nodding appreciatively:: Somehow, getting this tablecloth right felt harder than the asteroid thing…
Hunter: A harp? Seriously?
The youngest Richards brother had slowly made his way up behind the two as they finished laying out the tablecloth. He flashed one of the famous Richards boy smiles as the two turned around to face him.
Robin squinted. He certainly looked like he belonged there, but who exactly he was…?
Sam: Hunter! I can’t believe you’re here. ::she pulled him into a quick hug:: We didn’t think you were going to make it.
Hunter returned the hug before stepping back and straightening his shirt his sister had just ruffled.
Hunter: I managed to get a couple days of leave from the academy. ::Chuckling, looking at Robin:: I don’t think I’ve met you…
Hopper: Oh. The elusive Hunter. Well, it’s nice to meet you — I think that completes my collection. ::Smiling, shaking his hand:: I’m Robin… Nate’s girlfriend.
It felt a little funny introducing herself that way. In fact, come to think of it, it was the first time she had ever introduced herself like that. oO Weird. Oo She supposed, given his mention of the Academy that she probably should have introduced herself more formally.
Sam: ::Folding her arms, looking at Hunter:: You mean Lieutenant Commander Robin “Nathan’s Girlfriend” Hopper. ::Big grin:: Chief Science Officer, and Certified badass. oO Stop talking… Oo
Hopper: ::Rolling her eyes:: That too. Don’t salute or anything.
She chuckled. That took care of the formal introduction.
Hunter smiled and nodded. He had seen his fair share of Lieutenants, Commanders, Captains, and Admirals while away in San Francisco. It was a little refreshing to not have to stand at attention and keep up with the ‘sirs’ and ‘ma’ams’. His eyes widened all of a sudden when his brain finally processed the words "Nathan's Girlfriend.”
Hunter: Wait, wait. Nathan’s home!?
Sam: It would be a little strange for his girlfriend to come visit and not bring him along.
Robin pointed up towards the attic window, pretty sure she could see Nathan, his back turned. Somehow, from a family full of wild and wonderful people, on the other side of the galaxy, she had found the best one. Her favourite person. And just upstairs felt far away.
Hopper: He’s just up there, with the groom; Um, the one you’re related to. You should go surprise them — I’m sure they’d get a kick out of it.
Hunter: ::Looking up towards the window:: Good idea. ::Looking back at Robin, smiling:: It was nice to meet you.
Hopper: ::Smirk:: I’ll make sure to look for your name when I’m doing my time invigilating cadet finals. Now, go quickly, before they see you down here.
Hunter flashed her a wink before he excitedly took off at a sprint towards the house.
((Sometime Later, Backyard – Richards Homestead))
Nathan looked out over the slowly growing crowd of friends and family as he stood up at the altar next to his brother and his groomsmen. The decorations that scattered the lawn, tables, and chairs were beautiful, thanks to the taste of Blake’s fiance Mike. Nathan chuckled to himself as he thought of just how terrible everything might have looked if Blake had been in charge of the decorations.
Blake: ::Whispering:: $&@# this looks tasteful. I’m glad I let him talk me out of the mechanical bull now.
Nathan shook his head. The addition of a mechanical bull would have detracted from the grandiose spectacle that the wedding had become, but part of Nathan was disappointed.
Richards: ::Smirking:: Probably was a good idea.
Blake did his best to maintain an air of calm, but the momentous nature of the occasion was not lost on him. Normally cool under pressure, he was feeling the heat, and turned to his best man for moral support, continuing to whisper while they waited for Mike, Blake’s loveable diva, to make his entrance.
Blake: I’m already sweating. Is it normal to sweat this much in February? Are you sweating?
Nathan put his hands on Blake’s shoulders in an attempt to get him to stop and calm down.
Richards: Hey, relax. It's gonna be okay. What specifically has you so stressed right now?
Blake: Just nervous I’m going to say something stupid and mess it up. ::Touching his chest:: It’s all in here… But it’s up here.. :: indicating his head:: .. that I worry about. You know?
Richards: It's a given that you’ll say something stupid. ::Smiling:: But you aren't going to mess anything up. It's going to be okay.
Nathan released his brother, his eyes returning to the crowd and finding Robin, sitting up front and center next to his sister Sam. As he made eye contact, he felt the ever familiar butterflies in his stomach. The last few days had been an adventure to say the least, and he was glad that she had come along to join him.
((Flashback – Six Days Earlier, Mountain Trail))
Nathan took a deep breath as they approached the end of the hiking trail. Just up ahead sat the old, Mount Brown Fire Lookout turned nature sanctuary by Nathan’s little sister Alexis. The crisp mountain air blew through the old, wooden structure, the faint sounds of creaking planks traveled through the air.
Richards: ::Mostly to himself:: There she is.
The fire lookout stood as one of the last remaining things, untouched by time since his sister had passed. It looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen it, almost 15 years ago.
Robin stepped up beside him, thumbs tucked under the straps of her backpack, and followed his gaze up towards the lookout. It almost seemed ancient. Originally built hundreds of years ago, probably, but long since adopted by a new family. She let eyes wander, taking in the view from their elevated position. She could hardly believe how beautiful the park looked from here in the golden sunlight of early evening.
Hopper: I can see why she liked it here… It’s breathtaking. ::Shifting her gaze to Nathan’s face:: What do you want to do?
She freed a hand from strap duty and rested it on Nate’s forearm, sliding down to give his hand a squeeze.
Richards: I haven’t been up here in so long. ::Looking at Robin:: Let’s go inside.
The two of them traipsed up the last scattered bit of path to the base of the stairs. Setting their bags down, they climbed the steps up to the front door. The aged planks bowed slightly with each step, but sprung back, still strong.
The wooden door creaked and popped as they carefully pulled it open, giving Nathan a very clear view of the past. Old clay pots sat on tables that lined the walls of the modest space, each one once holding colorful flowers and thriving greenery that was carefully cared for and watched daily by a brilliant twelve year old. The table sitting in the center of the room that once held the fire map had scattered papers of drawings and observations of the plant life that once lived within those walls.
Robin looked around, staying close to the front door — a little worried to touch anything, or step too far in and detract from the well-preserved time capsule that clearly meant so much to him.
Hopper: She did all this? It’s incredible.
Nathan walked to the center table, picking up a couple of drawings and smiling.
Richards: She used to spend days out here. ::Chuckling:: Her own little sanctuary.
Hopper: I guess industriousness runs in the family…
He too had carved out a little sanctuary, aboard Amity. In The Cellar. Robin thought about how she’d first met Nate, working away on his shuttle; ripped tank top and hyperspanner in hand, utterly determined to make that cobbled-together mess fly. And they had. She knew that her help had been instrumental in making it happen — but a part of her also knew that he would have gotten there eventually. Even if it had taken him years of work.
Hopper: I know I never met her, but I kind of feel… like I know her through you. Does that sound stupid? ::Looking around:: Somehow this place feels almost familiar.
Nathan looked up from the drawings, taking in the sight of the room for a moment. A space full of projects and dreams. A space not unlike what he had found for himself on Amity.
Richards: No, not stupid at all.
He held out his hand, beckoning Robin to come further into the room.
Richards: There certainly is something eerily familiar, isn't there? ::Chuckling:: Look at this.
He picked up one of the drawings from the table, two crudely drawn stick figures were standing next to a house and a lake – one, tall with short-cropped yellow ‘hair’, and the other small, with long yellow locks. They both had big smiles on their faces as they held hands.
Robin came up behind Nate, looking around his arm at his sister’s artwork, resting a hand on his back. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him so quiet.
Hopper: Hey… You okay?
A tear rolled down Nathan's cheek as he continued to stare at the drawing.
Richards: ::Voice breaking:: I miss her.
There was a pause, as the whole world seemed to take a deep breath.
Hopper: I know, sweetie. ::Running her hand along his back:: It’s okay.
Robin wasn’t sure what else to say. She’d never experienced a loss like his. Never really experienced a loss at all… She hoped that just being there with him in that moment was enough.
Nathan let out a somewhat broken chuckle as he wiped away the tears on his cheeks.
Richards: That's enough of that. This isn't cry time. Save the tears for the wedding.
Hopper: Well I’m expecting you to be a big blubbering mess then. I’ll probably cry too… ::Wrapping him in a hug, resting her head on his chest:: I cried when I got my Academy acceptance letter, so you know, it doesn’t take much to get the water works going.
Richards: ::Chuckling, wrapping arms around her:: So we will both be messes. Good to know.
Taking a single step back, Robin looked up at Nathan’s soft gray eyes for a moment before standing on her tip-toes and leaving a kiss on his cheek. Then, turning around, she surveyed their surroundings once more.
Hopper: We can take all the time we want here and then… ::Looking out over the forest:: Then we head to wherever it is we’re camping tonight. Where is that again?
Nathan stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her.
Richards: It’s down the mountain to the west. It has a great view of the lake. I think you’ll love it.
((End Flashback))
The sounds of an organ playing over the speakers placed around the yard brought Nathan back to the present as Mike began walking down the center aisle between the rows of chairs. His pressed, white tuxedo was a stark contrast to the grays of everyone else standing on the line. Nathan placed his hand on Blake's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as Mike settled in opposite him. His eyes traveled out towards Robin once more, thoughts crossing his mind of the potential future.
Minister: Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today…
Blake: ::Whispering to Nathan:: Hoooooly crap…
TBC…
(Blake Richards as simmed by)
Lt. Cmdr Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer & Second Officer
Amity Outpost
V239806K11
&
(Hunter Richards as simmed by)
Lt. Nathan Richards
Chief of Operations
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1
&
Samantha Richards
As simmed by Travis’ wife Beky