Working out the Demons

[Nicolas Lepage 0]

Owen was sitting on a bench in the locker room. The conversation With Paradox had completely thrown him off his guard. The last couple of days had been a complete disaster and now this.

 

Megan waltzed into the locker room following a light workout. It felt GOOD to be out of Sickbay, and working out just a little. She knew better than to push too hard and risk Troll's wrath... not to mention the wrath of her own petite body. "Hey, Buddha!" she called happily, "I didn't expect to see you here. It's the middle of the night."

 

Buddha frowned and looked up. "Hey, shouldn't you be taking things easy?" He wasn't exactly happy to see Megan and he wasn't quite sure whether he had managed to keep his voice as casual as he wanted.

 

Megan looked at him and frowned. He looked a little stressed out. She sauntered over, and plopped herself in his lap. "I am taking it easy. I barely worked up any sweat, love. What's wrong, Owen?"

 

Owen resisted the urge to push Megan away. Instead he leaned his forehead against her shoulder and sighed. "I'm just...I'm alright." He wasn't sure he wanted to go into details with her.

 

She gently hooked her arm around his neck, "I'm here, if you want to talk about it." She ran her fingers lightly across his back, in a gentle way.

 

Buddha relaxed a bit. Her touch felt good. Finally he was glad that he wasn't alone right now. Before he knew it he had told her everything that he had just learned from Paradox. "...Can you imagine that? There are actually people on this ship who believe that miserable little worm is just misunderstood." He looked pleadingly into Megan's eyes, hoping she would agree with him. "He doesn't deserve protection, at least not when it means putting ourselves at risk."

 

Megan's fingers continued to caress his back, and occasionally roamed through his hair. "I can imagine that. Fleeters..." She rolled her eyes, "They want to save the universe. That's why they have us, you know. They were afraid to do what needed doing. Paradox and Medusa made the right call. Had he asked for our help... that'd be one thing. But to ... no, you're right. After what he did, he doesn't deserve our protection. Not at all."

 

Owen took a deep breath, put his arm around Megan and pulled her a bit closer. "Thanks. I needed someone to tell me I was right. It's good to see you're doing better."

 

Megan smiled, "I'm fine. And of course you're right.. You're a marine. We're always right, right?" She returned his embrace, tightening her own arms around him.

 

"Right!" For a split second Owen considered reminding Megan of her rules. But he liked where this was going. He didn't have rules concerning personal contact to crewmates anyway. So he would just see how far she'd let him go. He looked back up into her eyes and smiled. "You need a shower, muffincake."

 

Megan grinned, "For this little bit? Nah... Need to work up a real sweat first, love."

 

"Well now...I could help you getting sweaty alright." His grin was even wider than Megan's. He was sure the message wouldn't be lost on M&M. The question was just how she would react.

 

Megan sighed, still grinning, her lips bare centimeters away from his, "I'm not supposed to.. I'm on light duty. Troll would kill me."

 

Owen shrugged almost imperceptibly "Troll doesn't have to know and I sure hope it doesn't qualify as duty." Then he leaned in to kiss Megan.

 

Megan returned the kiss with unrestrained enjoyment. After a minute or two, she leaned back, "Are you feeling less stressed now?"

 

He smiled and shrugged. "A bit." Owen didn't break eye contact and he wished that just this once she wouldn't turn him down. But he wouldn't push her either. He knew full well that one wrong move would spoil everything.

 

Megan smiled again, "Good. Me too. Feel like joining me in my quarters? I could use some company..." She paused, then sighed, "I don't want to ruin our friendship, Owen. But it'd be nice to just be held for a while, if you'd be willing."

 

Owen couldn't say whether he was happy or disappointed. He decided to go for it and make up his mind about his feelings later. He nodded. "I think I could do that, muffincake." With that he loosened his embrace and let Megan get up. Together they made their way to Megan’s quarters.