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Charlotte Matsumura

"Between the Lines"

"Between the Lines"

ENS Charlotte Matsumura

CDR Malcolm Alexander (NPC)

***

 

 

Charlotte Matsumura stood on the small teak footbridge overlooking a black-bottom koi pond. The sun reflected brightly off the calm surface, rippling occasionally with the gentle swish of a goldfish tail. Behind her, she could hear the soft trickle of water over the hand carved fountain. Elsewhere there was silence – the first she'd had all day.

 

It wasn't that her mother was annoying...okay, maybe it was. And, Charlotte supposed, she couldn't blame her. It wasn't everyday that your only daughter graduated from Starfleet Academy. But Elisabeth Blair, for all her stern reputation in the classroom, was acting every bit the mother hen. She hadn't stopped clucking all morning. "At this rate," she sighed, dropping her chin into her palm. "I'll be glad to get to graduation."

 

"You aren't looking forward to it?"

 

Charlotte straightened. "Mal – I didn't hear you --"

 

Malcolm Alexander gave a rueful smile, green eyes creasing at the corners. "I'm sorry, Charlotte," he replied. "Apparently old habits die hard."

 

The sparkle in his eyes started a too-familiar flutter in her stomach. Charlotte had known Malcolm Alexander her entire life. Capped with dark hair, his classic good looks were apparent to her, even early on. At the tender age of six, she had announced to her mother that she intended to marry the attractive, much-older man. Of course, with his easy smile and arresting green eyes, her mother agreed he would be a good match for any girl...any older girl. She made it very clear she expected the schoolgirl crush to fade with time.

 

But Mal, as he was known to family and friends, became something of a permanent fixture in their lives. A close friend of her father, Ronin Matsumura, Mal trained almost daily in the private family dojo. In some instances, he assisted the elder Matsumura as he instructed Charlotte in the martial arts as well; he was also a frequent guest at the family dinner table. There, he would entertain her, telling stories of his "troubled youth" and how he drove his parents to distraction. Charlotte sensed a kindred spirit beneath the stiff, British exterior. As a result, the schoolgirl crush hadn't faded; it had deepened into affection.

 

If the old family friend had noted the interest, he showed no signs. But then, he'd never really treated her like a child to begin with, something came to appreciate as a teen. She had made a vow long ago, however, to keep whatever feelings she had for him to herself.

 

Swallowing back the lump in her throat, Charlotte smirked up at him. "One of these days, I'm going to hear how you learned those old habits."

 

His smile wavered slightly. "Perhaps one day," he said. "But not, I think, today."

 

The smile returned full force. From behind his back, he produced a package, a few inches long from being a perfect square. "I know you said you didn't want anything but, well, I've never been very good at following the rules..."

 

Casting him a glare, Charlotte pulled back the paper to reveal a wooden box, capped with a glass side. Inside, stark against a watermarked version of the British naval ensign, were two black rectangles of fabric, each adorned with a single curl of gold bullion. Her eyes widened. "Mal, is this --"

 

"Shoulder boards from a twentieth-century ensign in Her Majesty's Navy." He nodded, pausing. "I thought they were appropriate, all things considered. Congratulations, Ensign Matsumura."

 

"I don't know what to say," Charlotte replied. She shook her head, looking up at him as tears threatened. "They're...incredible. Thank you."

 

Kindness touched the familiar green eyes and she gave a start as she felt his hand brush against her cheek. Gently, he wiped away the single tear that escaped her lashes. "You're – ah, quite welcome." She noted his voice was quiet, and strangely thick with emotion. "Just promise me one thing?"

 

Charlotte furrowed her brow. "What?"

 

"Be careful." His hand dropped to her upper arm, giving it a squeeze. "You'll understand more later, but please, just promise you'll be careful."

 

"O-of course I will."

 

The smile on Mal's face was one of relief, though taut; Charlotte could still read the tension in his eyes. "Good." He drew a deep breath before offering her his arm. "Yes, well... Shall we get this show started, Ensign? If we make your mother wait any longer, I'm afraid she'll explode."

 

Still confused, Charlotte chose to file the events away for consideration. There would be plenty of time later to over analyze the past few moments. She forced a smile, eventually finding it felt genuine. "We can't have that now can we, Commander?"

 

Hooking her arm through his, she was led back to the house. By the time she returned, she would no longer be a cadet.

 

***

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