Once Upon A Day Dream

Posted on Thu Jul 25th, 2019 @ 1:26am by Captain Abigail Laurens & Lieutenant Jack Carver

Mission: Getting To Know You
Location: CO's Ready Room

Abigail wandered through the garden, unable to shake the feeling of being lost. It wasn't that she didn't know where she was, she knew exactly where she was, she just didn't really know why she was there. But, still, the scenery was nothing short of breathtaking. Everywhere she looked was a cascade of color. Sunset brought the slightest of chills to the breeze as the sun dipped slowly below the horizon, the smell of perfume clinging in the air around her. With a sigh, she rubbed her hands quickly over her arms, wishing she had brought a heavier jacket than the soft, off the shoulder sweater she was wearing and continued walking toward the sound of water she could hear ahead.

"Ah, there you are." a warm and familiar voice sounded as she rounded the corner, to face a beautiful fountain, a fountain of marble with gold accents, of an angel with spread wings, pouring out a cornucopia of water over a cascading series of platforms. It stood in the middle of a small basin, about a meter deep, of the crystal clear water.

Standing in front of the fountain was the source of the voice. One Lieutenant Jack Carver, smiling warmly with those rogueishly handsome features, beard neatly trimmed, hair in that carefully orchestrated impeccably nonchalant style. "I've been waiting for you." he added.

"Jack?" there was a hint of confusion in her voice as Abigail spoke. "You were waiting for me?" She walked toward him, taking the hand that he had held out toward her. "It's pretty here," she said quietly. "It's peaceful."

He raised her hand and placed a soft kiss on it, still smiling. At her comment he looked around a bit at the features, at the perfectly trimmed hedges, the gravel walkways, the colorful flowerbeds with many kinds of exotic flowers. "I'm glad you like it. Figured you would." he mused, keeping her hand in his and leading her on a gentle walk through the park. "So how've you been?"

"Happier now that I'm here," she replied with a warm smile as she looked up at him. "I think I need this, this break from reality. I'm surprised to see you here though."

"Why?" Jack asked, glancing over with a smile. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

"I thought you were out with No Mercy," Abigail said, confusion clear in her voice. She sighed, reaching up and running her fingers through her long hair, letting it fall back down around her face again. "Don't mind me," she finally said with a smile. "I'm glad you're here."

"Why are you glad that I'm here?" he asked, squeezing her hand softly as they walked. Their path took them slowly through the rest of the park, through themed areas. This one was a japanese Zen type garden with neatly arranged, smooth stones in artistic features.

With the feel of his hand around hers, Abigail smiled as they walked. "I'm glad you're safe," she said softly, keeping her gaze downcast. "I'm glad you're not out there. We don't know what's out there." She sighed softly. "At least here it's tranquil, peaceful... there's nothing to be afraid of here."

"That's why we're here though, isn't it? To see what's out there?" he quirked a brow, halting for now and turning to face her, taking her other hand in his other one. "Why am I here though? In your dream?"

"Oh," Abigail said, surprise now clear on her face. "I'm dreaming." She sighed again and shook her head. "Well, I guess that explains a lot."

"Like what?" Jack asked, looking down at himself, at the tuxedo he was wearing with a dark red carnation in the chest pocket. "Why I'm in this suit? Why we're in a romantic garden? Why I'm holding your hands? Or why I'm here to begin with?" he asked with a smile.

"Well you do look rather dashing," Abigail said with a smile as she turned into him, tracing her fingertips over the lapel of his jacket. "Tall, dark, mysterious and very handsome indeed."

"I know." he flashed a grin, gently taking her hand in his and bringing it up to his face to place a soft, lingering kiss on the back of her hand. "I must've made quite an impression indeed, to be in your dreams, less than a day after we met." Beat. "Does this mean I'm the man of your dreams?"

There was something about his very presence that just seemed to make her feel more at ease and she had already started to relax visibly. "Well, at least right now you appear to be, I don't see anyone else around, do you?" she replied teasingly, pulling away and making an exaggerated attempt at looking around in the twilight.

Jack laughed, though then reached up to cup her cheeks in his hands to make her look up at him, smiling down at her. Fingertips caressed her cheek as he leaned in, bringing his lips close to hers, almost touching, whispering ....

"This is your requested alarm clock. Ten minutes until scheduled event. This is your requested alarm clock. Ten minutes until scheduled event."

Abigail woke with a start, sitting bolt upright at her desk, rubbing her eyes as she looked around. Scheduled event? What scheduled event? Bleary, she tapped at her console, bringing the display up, everything suddenly becoming clear. The scheduled event was the staff briefing. Thankfully Master Chief König had been prepared enough to set a reminder for her in the computer. With a sigh, she leaned back in her seat, rubbing her hands across her face. Clearly this whole situation was getting to her.

Standing up, she reached for her jacket and shrugged into it, zipping it up slowly and running her fingers through her hair, trying to mask any signs that she had been napping at her desk before she headed back out onto the bridge to check on their situation before she joined Commander Gail in the briefing room.

Things were starting to get real.