A new morning

Posted on 04 Dec 2019 @ 4:12am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander True Keading

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Reynolds Quarters
Timeline: MD4 07:30
2153 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon found himself actually humming as he replicated tea and bacon, eggs and pancakes. Placing them on a tray he happily walked back into his bedroom stopping at the door to smile at the blond in his bed once more. "Breakfast?" he asked sitting back down on the bed and sliding the tray over his lap.

"That looks amazing," True said making sure the sheet was pulled up before she stretched. "Are you going to make me breakfast every morning? Ooo, and tea? I might never leave." She paused though, looking him over. "Do we need to talk about what happened last night?"

"Maybe," Jon said with a smile. Turning serious at the other question he said pensively, "I don't think so. Unless you want too. You went through a vulnerable time on the away mission, it was a bad situation and just needed some support. As your boyfriend that comes with the territory. I just hope I lived up to the role." He bit into a piece of bacon and chewed it.

True nodded, he seemed to be okay about that so she'd let the subject drop. Reaching over she took a slice of bacon before he ate it all. "Just making sure," she said quietly. Her body was way more relaxed than last night. Crying and kissing and everything that had come after it this morning did a lot to mend her worries. "I was thinking . . . that I could spend a lot more time here if you want me to."

"Oh I like that idea," Jon agreed. "Very much so. I love being around you and waking up with you in my arms." He smiled at her, leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Your comm. badge opens my quarters now so you can come here whenever you want too."

"I like waking up next to you too. But what about Eddie? Should I meet with Charlotte?" Her thoughts went from blissfully happy at being near Jon and being loved, to what would most likely be a stressful relationship with his ex-wife.

"Eddie likes you. Hes a very durable kid and will weather this change fine. Charlotte, shes bitter and angry. I want to protect you from that as long as I can and ….. well thats stupid isn't it …." he said after a moment. "She hasn't been very nice to me for the last … few years if I'm honest but then I did some …… stupid things in our relationship ……"

It wasn't fun ground. He had touched on it at the beginning and she had said she wasn't judging him for his past but her and his ex wife in a room. That just got very real and could any which way. Everything with True was going so wonderful. Especially after last night. He was worried that if she and his ex wife got together that could get totaled. It was a risk he couldn't hide from forever and he had to just put his trust in this wonderful woman. Clearly the goddesses had decided to bless him. And if not it was a lesson. One he very clearly needed to learn.

" ….. but your job is professionally speak to, emphasise with and understanding people. Your far more clued up on things there than I ever could be. If you feel its something you need to or want to do then perhaps go speak to Charlotte. I do know my kid and he, believe me won't keep his mouth shut forever. It won't be malicious in anyway but Eddie will let it slip. She will find out soon. If not already," he said quietly.

"I'm not worried about anyone knowing," True said honestly. "We took steps so that it wouldn't be against regulations, you're not a client of mine. But I am thinking that maybe you need to tell me exactly what happened between you two so that I don't hear it from someone else." She kissed him on the side of the head. "It's okay, trust me. I won't be upset."

"I cheated on her twice," Jon said robotically. "I'm not proud of it.

The first time we weren't even married. Charlotte was pregnant, about 6 months gone. There was .. so much family pressure to get married. A big political and societal wedding was being organised. To be honest it felt like we had no say in it. We were young and at the academy so there was all that going on too. I couldn't tell her that it was pretty much suffocating me. She was so happy to be getting married and starting a family even though it had happened so quickly. I couldn't worry her and risk hers or Eddies health.

And my twin who …" he took a breath and looked her right in the eyes. "Liam's usually my sounding board. My conscience and he was sent on some Klingon ship for months. I started talking to Sydney his fiancé, checking in and making sure she was okay as Liam had asked me too while he was away. And one night things blurred over. It was stupid, reckless and very inappropriate. And I hate myself for also hurting my brother."

True didn't need to be Betazoid to know that the action as well as telling her this caused him pain. She wrapped an arm around his back but didn't interrupt him, he seemed to want to get it all out at once and True personally thought he needed to.

"She then decided she didn't love Liam any more and wanted me. Then ran away. Literally ran away. None of us knew where she disappeared too. Just up sticks. Off the map for years.

I didn't own it to Liam. Mother landed on earth and convinced me to shield that memory. That it would be more disastrous him knowing. And to never tell Charlotte which at the time I was a complete coward and just couldn't bring myself to ….." he looked at her. He felt pathetic admitting all this but she deserved the truth. He would had told her at the beginning if she hadn't of said it wasn't a factor.

"Oh Jon," He had carried all this around in him for far too long. Strangely she wasn't upset while he was explaining, it had no baring on her. It was long before they met. She didn't want that seed planted in her mind.

"That action in hindsight was stupid and came back to haunt me spectaculously as I didn't know Sydney got pregnant. I said I had a daughter. Well I only found out about that a couple of years back. I then had to own up to my twin and nearly lost him and Charlotte decided to divorce me. She forgave me the second time …. well in her head it was the only time at that time," he winced. "And Liams far more a better man than me at times. It took a while but he forgave me and I will never break that trust again."

"Oh right, the sister Eddie mentioned to me," True said now understanding. "Well, I'm not your counselor but I can give you some advice if you'd like to hear it?"

"Always," Jon said. "But don't you want to hear about the second time first? I've come this far I need to tell you everything."

"Of course. Continue. I'll save my advice for last." She took a fork and took a bite of pancake, chewing quietly while she got ready to hear the rest of his story.

"Well the other time, I was lonely and selfish. Charlotte decided she didn't like the starship life early on and decided to reside on Betazed with Eddie and my mother. She liked that "life". My mothers house is an upper one. Theres money and society. Parties and important people and shopping and beautiful things. I shouldn't blame her I suppose. I was away from my family for long lengths of time.

An older commander at the time on another ship came on to me. And I …. well I went there. Once. This time I owned it and told Charlotte about her. But I stupidly thought the second one or ermmmm first time … it had been so long. Liam wasn't aware. I still didn't own it.

Anyway she decided eventually to come back with Eddie and live with me on the starship. I suspect mother may have pushed in places there and trust was getting rebuilt. I thought until … Sydney resurfaced and needed my help. My daughter needed some of my DNA for a illness. Charlotte was angry of course to find out about a second infidelity but didn't want me to acknowledge her beyond helping save her life. It puts Eddie in a weaker position in the house you see.

And well it didn't sit well with me. I wanted to be part of her life. Make up for years being absent. So I sent money to help and opened ground with Sydney on meeting my daughter. I thought Charlotte would calm down and come round but no she basically put it down to do what I say and lose your other child or lose me. I don't believe if we still really loved and were happy with each other that would have happened. Eddies future is very well cared for. So what hes one less in a stupid Betazoid pecking order. He hates it just as much as me anyway. My wife had become materialistic. That was more important than us as a family.

I regret that I cause her pain but don't regret my choice in terms of my other child," he said.

True nodded trying to decide which she wanted to do first, give her advice or ask her question. "Well, it probably wasn't the best idea to keep anything from your brother and Charlotte but I understand why you did it. I also know that you experienced deep pain from these infidelities, I don't need to be Betazoid to see it. You were lonely and confused. Was it stupid? Yes. But you would change hurting people if you could. So, you really should stop beating yourself up. You've hopefully learned your lesson. And I would never make you choose between myself and your child. Though Charlotte had way more emotion invested in the issue. After all that I have a question for you."

Jon was feeling better to have that all out in the open and that she understood. He nodded at her last statement. “Okay what’s your question?”

"Do you love me?" It was an incredibly simple question but one that had a lot of meaning. Just asking it made her heart rate rise though she pretended she was not nervous at all.

“Yes,”

There was no hesitation. No need to think. He just knew it was the truth.

“I love you. Completely, crazily. I feel horrible saying this but what I felt for Charlotte In the past, pales in comparison for what I feel for you True,” he told her truthfully. “What I’ve felt for any woman .. it’s not a patch on it.”

True smiled. She thought he did but she needed to make sure. She should have made sure before their lovemaking this morning. "I love you too. I've never met anyone that made me feel so . . . wanted and cherished. And you're a total dork, it's adorable. Makes my heart all warm and fuzzy. So . . . don't cheat on me. I put up with a lot of stuff in past relationships, but that would not be one of them. We're both in Starfleet and it should be easier to stay together but I would resign my commission to follow you. I could always be a civilian counselor."

“Well I hope it never comes to that. You are an excellent Starfleet officer. I wouldn’t want to be the reason you ended your career in the Federation. But I appreciate that you care enough about me to be willing to make such a sacrifice.

And I don’t want to ever cheat on you or mess this up,” he pulled her into a hug. “So this just got really real yeah,” he chuckled.

"But seriously, my job is to help people, it doesn't matter to me if I help Starfleet officers or civilians. Starfleet was just a way to see the world. I can still do that with you. And yeah, it's been quite the day and it's only morning. Speaking of. I should probably borrow your shower and get dressed so I'm not late for work."

“Five more minutes,” Jon said placing the breakfast things to the side grinning. He pulled her into another kiss.

---

●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda


●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Captain
USS Andromeda