Un-Fin-ished Business ((Finlay/Spader))

[Jennifer Spader 0]

Fin was standing in the corridor leading from his Cargo Bay to the airlock. The small space was cluttered with boxes waiting to be unloaded. Unfortunately his cargo still wasn't cleared and he was slowly getting angry at Aegis Security. This wasn't the first time he was transporting cargo for Starfleet. This was a routine trip. All the containers had Starfleet seals and none had been broken. What the hell was taking them so long to clear everything? Fin had handed in the paperwork right when they had arrived. He sure hoped Aegis personnel wasn't always this incompetent when dealing with cargo or they'd starve out here. After all they were one of the few civilian freighters that would transport cargo out here.

 

Fin was pacing between the crates. Additionally to his ship still not being unloaded something else was bothering him. What on earth was Spader doing here. This was the last place he had expected to see that woman. It had been 4 years since he had seen her last. Their break-up hadn't been one of his proudest moments, but it had been necessary nonetheless.

 

Spader herself was some distance away, talking in a low, aggravated tone with another security grunt, who handed her a PADD detailing the freighter's cargo manifest and the results of their security checks. She sighed. It would have been nice (for a given and somewhat selfish definition of "nice") to have an excuse to boot Finlay out on his rear, to give him the kick he'd deserved four years ago and that she'd wanted to give him for quite a long time after. Better late than never, after all.

 

There was nothing wrong with his cargo, though. No legitimate reason to keep him off Aegis, no matter how disconcerting it was to see him again. And, in a way, she had to admit it was almost a relief, too. She'd wondered what had happened to him. Not that she cared, since he clearly didn't. Turning away with PADD in hand, she moved towards Finlay standing among the boxes. "Captain," she said, a little stiffly.

 

Spader kept her voice scrupulously even and congratulated herself on it silently, deliberately ignoring his aggravation. "You're cleared to proceed, Mr. Finlay. Cargo crew will be arriving to assist you in unloading shortly."

 

Fin turned to Mladen and motioned for them to start putting the crates on carts. "Thank you, took you guys long enough." He guessed he had just ruined his chance of going for a drink with Jen later to talk about old times. It was a pity, she was still beautiful.

 

"No problem," Spader said coolly, debating a tirade about how much paperwork an arriving freighter entailed and then deciding against it. "Welcome aboard Sky Harbor Aegis." Turning, she moved to step over a box and walk away, then paused and glanced over her shoulder, her implant-eyes a bit narrowed, unable to resist the parting shot. "I know it's not your habit to inform anyone you're leaving, but make sure you go through the right channels before you undock."

 

Her comment actually made Fin smile. She definitely had developed a side she didn't have as a freshman in the Academy. He was pretty sure she meant to hurt him by confronting him with his leaving. "You don't know anything about my habits Jen, Captain Finlay is a different guy than Fin. Gotta stick to the rules, or I'll find myself having to do illegal business soon. And you know me, I'm such a lover of rules and of doing what's right."

 

Spader snorted. "Yeah, you always were a do-gooder..." Seeing him smile, something inside her twisted just the slightest bit and she suddenly really wished she could be glad to see him, and her voice took on a frustrated edge as she turned back to face him again. "Did you know I was here, Fin?"

 

"'Course I did, dollface. Didn't I tell you back at the Academy that I'd go to the end of the universe for you? And voila, here I am." He was surprised at her question; he didn't see what difference it would have made if he had known. He had a job to do, so did she, and that was that.

 

"Right. Guess you were on a bit of a time delay," she said dryly. Frak it. If running into her again didn't mean anything to him, why should it to her? "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay," she went on, deliberately relaxing her tone to a dismissive shrug as she turned away again. "Try not to make me have to come pull you out of the Promenade by your collar."

 

At this Fin’s grin widened; ah, she knew him too well, even after all this time. “Jen?” He called after her.

 

She stopped, closed her eyes and opened them a few times, and then said evenly, without turning around, "What?"

 

"Whose head do I have to throw a PADD at around here to ask for permission for my crew and me to stay for a few days?" Fin could tell she was upset but he didn't quite know why. He hadn't done anything to upset her, yet. And he couldn't imagine that she'd still feel bad about what had happened in the past.

 

"When your cargo's all stowed, you'll want to pass that through the station CSEC; he'll make a decision based on your background checks. You'll know him when you see him. Rihan, doesn't smile too much. You'll love him." Glancing over her shoulder at him, she raised an eyebrow slightly. "Any other questions?"

 

"Well, I'd ask why you're mad at me, but I have a feeling that I shoud know the answer to this already, so I guess I won't bother. And since you're mad at me I guess there's also no point in asking you out to dinner." He didn't quite know why but he had to ask, even if he was only doing so indirectly

 

She looked at him for a second in silence. He still had the same easy confidence; she had to give him that. No self-doubt, just the blithe certainty that he could do no wrong. It had, four years ago, by turns infuriated and amused her, but there was no question it was familiar. She didn't know what to say to it, though; it was difficult to think, to determine whether she was being unreasonable or he was, or they both were together. She felt flustered and angry and didn't answer, just gave a faint shrug and turned away; this conversation was only going to keep getting both of them aggravated. "I'll see you around, Captain Finlay. Keep out of trouble."

 

Fin made a frustrated noise halfway between a grunt and a sigh. Then he walked up behind her and grabbed her hand, turning her around. Not quite knowing what he was doing or why he kissed her.

 

Spader made a startled noise as his lips touched hers and for a moment she just stood there dumbly, pressed against him. I...what? she thought vaguely, feeling very keenly his fingers pressed lightly against her shoulder. I thought you didn't care...you left me without even a damn note four years ago and stroll in here like you own the place and now you want to act like...like you still...like you didn't...no, frak that, you don't get off that easy..."Oy!" she grunted, pulling back from him with more than expected difficulty; her hand came up and around to push him away, slapping him across the jaw. "What the hell?"

 

As Jen pulled her hand away from his face Fin grabbed her wrist. He had more than once been at the receiving end of her violent outbursts, came with her job. "Jen, I don't know what to do with you. You don't want to talk, you don't want to go for drinks, you're cleary mad at me, I have to interact with you in some way. So it's either this, or you talk to me. I know I'm a jerk when it comes to feelings and all that, and you should remember that you have to spell it out for me. So please, talk to me."

 

"You don't have to do anything with me," Spader said, shaking her head and looking thoroughly thrown off her groove. "You made it clear a long time ago that you didn't want to...so why play games?" Wrenching her hand out of his grip, she turned and stalked away before he could say anything else, glaring at the security grunt from before who had witnessed this little interchange and was opening his mouth to comment.