Wrappings

Posted on Tue May 9th, 2017 @ 5:29pm by Commander Andrew Knight

Mission: Down on the Upside
Location: Cara's Quarters
Timeline: 2100

Cara had sent a message to Drew when she got off work to join her for dinner at her place. It had been 6 months since the destruction of SB900. And 5 months since Drew and Cara had taken their friendship to another level. Drew had been good about not pushing the whole commitment issue...allowing Cara to move things along at her own pace. With all of the renovations to the station and learning what was a security issue and what wasn't, neither had had a lot of spare time but Cara had started spending most of hers in Drew's company, either in a holosuite or just lounging around either hers or his quarters.

She had asked the Lucy to make her up a real home cooked meal. Nothing fancy. Just something down home-like. Now she set the table in the dining area of her suite and placed the serving dishes of pot roast with real veggies grown in the Chef's new garden, mashed potatoes, gravy and a fresh tossed salad. She poured the wine and stood back to look at the table.

"Perfect," she said as the aroma of food filled the suite. She went into the bedroom and took a very large, beautifully gift wrapped package off of her bed and carried it into the living room, setting it on the coffee table in front of her couch. Tonight she had a surprise for him.

Drew made his way down the corridor leading to Cara residence. He had been consulting with various base personnel regarding the power issues that had been plaguing the station for the last several weeks. Though he saw Cara everyday at meetings. There had been precious little time in the last two weeks for them to spend together outside of work. Her invitation could not have come at a better time as he was actually not working a double shift today. He came up to Cara's door and pressed the chime to announce his arrival.

Standing by the coffee table holding the two glasses of wine, Cara called out, "come in."

Drew entered to see Cara standing at one end of the coffee table near the sofa and walked up to her. He took one of the wine glasses as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I can't tell you how happy I was to get your invitation. It's been way to long since we have had dinner together."

"With the General out of service you have been busy," Cara said. "You needed a break." She tilted her glass a bit and touched it to the brim of his and said, "to relaxation and surprises. Shlainte." Then she took a sip of the wine.

Drew smiled at Cara and took a sip. He then took her glass and set it down on the coffee table next to the wrapped gift, which did cause him to raise an eyebrow, but he had other things in mind at the moment. He straightened as he turned to her and embraced her. "Something else that has been too long as well." He then gave her a long, breath taking kiss.

Cara returned the passion then placed her hands on Drew's chest and, gently, pushed herself back. "You, my love, have a one track mind," she said with a smile. "Dinner's getting cold." She took his hand in one of hers as she picked up her glass of wine and waited for him to do the same then she led him over to the dining table.

Drew secured his own wine glass with a reluctant sigh. "I was hoping you were in the mood to 'work up' an appetite dearest doctor o' mine." He followed her to the table and pulled out a chair for her, taking a good long inhale. The scent of the food reminding him just how hungry he already was. "Then again...I am famished already."

"Food and sex," Cara said, shaking her head. "I was wrong. Two track mind." She waited for Drew to sit then handed him the platter with the pot roast as she served herself some of the vegetables. "So how was your day?"

Drew sliced off a section of pot roast and switched platters with Cara as he answered. "Not too bad. I was going over a few things with Captain Braylin before his departure. He should be taking off in a couple of hours. He's heading to a trading outpost, but promised to return with some goods for the spare warp coils he's taking from us. He promised a return visit in a week to bring back our trade...minus his commission for consignment of course."

Cara laughed. "He's a character," she said as she served herself some meat then set the platter down. "I like him, though. You know....he hit on almost every one of my ER nurses while he was getting checked out," she said and took a bite. "He struck out with them but I think he got lucky with one from Peds."

Drew deposited a strong helping of veggies on his plate and was about to bring his fork down when he looked up at Cara. "You mean the blonde girl? Oh what's her name?"

"Rachel," Cara said as she took another bite.

Drew took a bite of potato and chewed on that as his mind chewed on the news Cara shared. He swallowed, took a sip of wine and then shook his head. "She will have her hands full with that man, come to think of it. He'll probably have his hands full with her as well." He allowed a small chuckle to escape him. Then pointed his fork at the spread. "This by the way is heaven sent. Thank you."

"You'll have to thank Chef Lucy for it," Cara answered. "I asked her for some suggestions and the use of her kitchen because I was going to try to make dinner for you. But she saw I was not doing so well so she took over. I tossed the salad, though," she said with a sheepish grin.

Drew savored every bite. One of the good things was that a 4 star Michelin Chef had made it to the Hopper before SB900 had succumbed to the Borg assault. He took a bite of the salad and smiled after swallowing. "Salad is my favorite."

For the next hour, they enjoyed the meal with leisurely small talk and after Cara took the last bite her stomach could handle she tossed her napkin on her plate, picked up her glass of wine and sat back to watch Drew engorge himself. "When you're finished making a pig of yourself," she teased. "You can open your present."

Drew cast an eye towards the wrapped gift on the coffee table. It was sizable and figured that Cara had commissioned someone with tailor experience to make him a dress uniform. He tossed his own napkin down on his plate after dabbing his mouth. He rose and with one hand pulled out Cara's chair while the other hand held her to help her rise. "Well lead on then my love."

Cara took his hand, stood and led him over to the coffee table. She took a seat on the couch, slipping off her shoes and curling her feet up under her as she watched him with excitement. He had no way of knowing it now...but what was in the wrapping was a symbol of a decision she had made that hadn't been easy but marked a major step in both of their lives.

Drew sat down next to Cara on the couch and grabbed the gift, placing it in his lap. It was heavier than he'd imagined it would be and certainly the hard sides reminded him more of a wooden crate then a cardboard clothing box. "Well, let's see what we have."

Cara sat watching with nervous anticipation.

Drew tore the wrapping from the gift and looked down at what was obviously a dresser drawer. He turned to Cara with a pleasantly stunned expression. "I know...this is a big step for you. You're absolutely sure you want me to have this?"

Cara nodded.

Drew set the drawer down gently on the coffee table and turned to her, taking her in his arms and holding her close. His nose pressed gently to the top of her ear as he whispered. "Thank you."

"It's only temporary," Cara said, with a smile. "Until you have Engineering expand your closet to hold my clothes and install a separate dresser for me. I also want a hair dryer in the bathroom. I hope you like purple."

Cara's words caused Drew's heart to skip a beat. Was she saying what he thought she was saying. "You mean...?"

"Yes," Cara said, simply and smiled.

Drew was speechless, which was actually fine, as actions were said to speak louder than words. He kissed her instead. A long one that he poured everything he felt for her.