JP Lt. Commander John Kendrick & LtCmdr T'Lea - Mister Saxaphone (part II)
doggybunbun
((T’Lea’s Apartment, Level 40, Soldotna))
T’Lea shook her head and paced a few steps away to gather her reserves. Turning back toward him, her arms were crossed and her Sherlock thinking-cap was on. A more Vulcan expression lurked in the background of her face.
T’Lea: Perhaps the card fell out when you opened it.
Kendrick: ::annoyed:: No I haven’t opened it. Why would I?
T’Lea: Why wouldn’t you?
Her reply was swift like an assassin’s knife. Even she didn’t realize a nerve had been struck until it was too late.
He looked away. This was something he’d rather not discuss. Not with anyone.
Kendrick: Because ::pauses:: me and my family ::pauses again:: have a difficult history I’d rather not talk about.
T’Lea: Then don’t talk about it. I’m not asking you to. And don’t open the box, either. But don’t come here blaming me for something that I did not do.
It didn’t look like he was buying the truth, so she moved over to him and knelt down in front of him at eye-level. She then placed a hand on his knee for reassurance, and spoke cleanly and clearly.
T’Lea: John, I give you my word that I did not trespass, and I did not open the crate. Call in a telepath and read me if you wish.
He looked down at her hand, resting on his knee. And then he remembered a time not too long ago, that even the thought of her touching him would make his heart jump out of his chest. Oh how he had longed for her, so badly it even made him physically ill. But now her gentle touch just felt warm and comforting.
Then he followed her hand, up to her arm over to her shoulder until he looked into her mysterious, mesmerizing blue eyes and for a second there, he almost forgot why he was so angry with her.
Kendrick: ::shaking his head, confused:: But if you didn’t break into my apartment ::pauses as he stares at the crate on the floor:: then why didn’t you look surprised when I accused you? ::looking back at her:: You even admitted your guilt.
She took her hand away after becoming acutely aware of the warmth radiating through the fabric. Distance separated them suddenly, and she found herself sitting in a nearby chair to answer his question, which had suddenly turned the tables on her.
T’Lea: I was confessing to something else, obviously.
She really didn’t want to have this conversation, and that’s why she’d not conferred with John in the first place before dissolving the bond.
Kendrick: Obviously.
He just repeated her last word, but obviously he had no idea what she was talking about. Whatever it was, he realized it must be something big - so big it even made T’Lea at a loss for words.
T’Lea: It was about us. But it’s over so it doesn’t matter.
Kendrick: Us, as in-
She got up from the seat, which suddenly felt like an electric chair waiting to zap her for the thing she had done. But if it was truly over and it didn’t matter then why was she withholding information. He wouldn’t care that she had broken the bond. Why should he? He was with someone else.
Her mind was made up. She turned back to him and plainly stated it.
T’Lea: The bond, John. The bond we formed during Pon Farr. I broke it that night in the alley, outside of Mobius.
The bond. Pon Farr. Möbius. He broke out in a sweat as the words ringed in his ears like a drumbeat
Kendrick: ::placing his fingers on the bridge of his nose as he shook his head:: Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean “we were bonded”?
Was he trying to make her say it, or did he really not know? She kind of begrudged him an answer, and tacked on a “are you serious” eyebrow.
T’Lea: Really? You didn’t notice? You couldn’t feel it? ::head wag:: It is customary between mates, you knew that right?
Who didn’t know that? She thought sarcastically to herself.
Of course he had heard about the Vulcan mating ritual, but what had-
oO Ooh. Oo
And then it clicked and everything suddenly made sense, as if she had just given him the final missing piece of the puzzle.
Kendrick: So that’s why you kept me at arm’s length after what happened aboard The Wanderer?
T’Lea: I-
She almost exclaimed the accusation back at him, but cut herself off. Did it matter now who did what to whom? No, but could she be big enough to let it go?
T’Lea: ::plainly:: As I recall you did plenty of that yourself afterwards.
Nope. Couldn’t let it go. She recalled the next morning, how she made herself available to him to talk, and he stumbled through his awkwardness and excused himself to recover his clothes. What was she supposed to infer from that?
Kendrick: And is that the reason why you suddenly left Juneau last year? Because of us?
T’Lea: No. Intel. called me away on assignment in the middle of a mission. You know how much I love Intel. They didn’t exactly give me a choice.
“But it’s why I came back,” is what she stopped herself from saying. It wouldn’t make any difference now. It would just confuse things.
John on the other hand kept on wondering if she was telling him the truth or not.
Kendrick: I wished we could’ve talked about it.
She looked away at the fish tank, noticing the array of colors that they were emphatically picking up from the two of them. It was disturbingly telling of their emotions, and she turned toward the window instead.
T’Lea: I’m sorry. I should have been more forthcoming about the bond, and everything after. And when I returned, you had already moved on. I didn’t believe it was necessary… to discuss it.
She looked at John, again holding back what she might have been feeling towards him. Instead she offered him a lousy smile.
T’Lea: I am happy you found someone that makes you complete. So where does that leave us?
She was obviously referring to Katrina, but did he notice a hint of jealousy in the tone of her voice? He felt his heart skip a beat. Just once. But he felt it. Though the bond may have been broken, there was still a connection between the two of them. He looked into her eyes, imagining his fingers touching those beautiful pointed ears of hers and wondered: do I still love this Romulo-Vulcan? Have I ever really loved her at all? And then his thoughts raced back to Katrina, and again he asked himself the same questions about her. It was all starting to get so damned confusing.
Kendrick: ::stammers:: I don’t know but-
Before he could finish or start she realized that question may have come across as pertaining to their relationship, and that’s not at all what she meant, and she doubted he wanted to hear.
T’Lea: I mean, aside from you being a galactic ass and accusing me of breaking and entering, and some kind of “visual” theft of personal effects. ::teasingly:: You are the Security Chief, shouldn’t you be sleuthing something? Does anybody have access to your apartment? Was anything stolen?
Bombarding him with questions… that was a good way to put the conversation back on track.
Kendrick: ::confused:: No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.
It felt like she was beating him up with her questions.
T’Lea: What are you going to do?
He leaned down and let his face rest in the palm of his hands. The truth was he didn’t know. One moment it seemed like he had everything he ever wanted, the next it seemed like it was all slipping like sand through his fingers.
This wasn’t about T’Lea, Katrina or that damned box. This was about him and the demons of his past.
T’Lea: Well, for the record, if I were you… I would open the damn box. I wouldn’t want the burden of an unknown thing weighing on my shoulders.
But isn’t that what they had both masterfully avoided with each other? She hated inner thoughts that made her such a hypocrite.
T’Lea: Besides, somebody has already spoiled your surprise. :smirk:: At least you know it’s not a bomb. Your mother clearly cares about you, which is more than I can say for mine, as you know.
She gave him a slippery smile and a shrug that it was up to him. He smiled back at her, his eyes all teary.
Kendrick: ::nods:: Maybe you’re right.
At least the part about her mother - she was an entire category on her own.
He slammed his hands on his knees and got up from the couch as he moved over to the box resting on the coffee table. He placed his hands on the metal surface, which surprisingly didn’t feel as cold as he had expected. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
oO Here we go. Oo
He flipped the case open, looked down and suddenly found himself thrown back in time. Back to Kendrick’s Palace where little Johnny played his saxophone in the Star Gallery. His only audience, the millions of glistening stars outside.
He smiled as he took out the saxophone.
The bass apparatus emerged in John’s hands, and T’Lea smiled with a small laugh under her breath. oO All this drama and angst over a musical instrument…Oo
T’Lea: It’s beautiful. Can you play?
She was hopeful the answer would be yes. Nothing would satisfy her more to be serenaded by the man.
Kendrick: I don’t know. It seems like a lifetime ago since I last played.
T’Lea said nothing, but held her breath as he seemed not to waver in his next steps.
He walked over to one of the windows and looked up at the night sky.
oO This one’s for you mum. Wherever you are. Oo
He smiled as he closed his eyes, brought his lips to the saxophone’s mouthpiece and started playing the first melody that came to mind …
Colors of music filled the room. The shock of his talent rolled out like a low tide, and T’Lea settled back in her chair with the simplest thoughts of doing nothing but enjoying the company and the music. Soulful moments soared on the wings of John’s saxophone and for a while T’Lea found a sliver of peace.
END
===
Lieutenant Commander T’Lea
Historian and Archaeological Officer
Denali Station
Author ID I238301T10
and
Lieutenant Commander John Kendrick
Chief Security and Tactical
DENALI STATION
J239801JK3