Grounded

[Erich Jaenke 0]

Grounded

The joint thing once more

 

Erich started to wake from the most unusual rest he’d ever had. His body was not tired, but his mind was spent. Keb had let him sleep, trusting that his gentle breathing meant he was going to be all right, and grabbed her latest Bag O’ Stuff from under the bunk. There was little time if she was going to get everything together in time to leave the ship before it left orbit. She rifled through her things for anything she’d need for possibly an extended stay on Earth, oddly at peace even though she hated the idea. Perhaps the peace was Erich’s gift to her--the vision he’d given her before he passed out.

 

When he began to stir, she was debating whether she needed both her teal and her aquamarine hair ribbons. He was able to watch her for a few minutes as she packed, but she noticed his open eyes at last. “Are you okay?” she asked first.

 

“I-I think so.” He held the corner of his forehead with one hand. “I have the strangest headache. Whoa.” The room started to spin, no, he started to spin as he righted himself on her bed. Some time had passed, but he was unsure how much. The thought jolted him alert, but with a lingering panic. “This ship, the inspection... How long was I out?”

 

“Only about ten minutes. You were breathing fine so I didn’t call sick bay...maybe I should have. I’m...I’m almost packed.” Keb sat down on the bed beside him, taking his hand with care. “It looks like I’m grounded for a little while.”

 

Erich looked shocked. “Only 10 minutes?” He shook his head in disbelief. “It felt a great deal longer. Must have been instant REM sleep.” He saw the room in a dreamy haze, still not fully awake. The warmth of her hand slowly brought him into focus, but brought a sense of guilt. Could he have caused her distress enough to prompt her father’s action? He closed his eyes.

 

“How long is a little while?” He asked as he raised a brow.

 

She shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I’ll do what I can to get back to y--to the ship, but...I have to convince them that I’m getting better, not worse. I think Dad was using the memorial service as...as a way to get me to come home for a while.” She was trying hard not to think that he might have other concerns besides a relapse of her breakdown--such as a boyfriend he might not approve of. The thoughts flitted too quickly across her brain to stop them, though.

 

“A boy-what?” Erich thought as he picked that out of her darting thoughts. “Slow down. You are thinking a light year a minute.” He pressed harder into her hand and looked into her eyes. “I could speak to your father on your behalf, convince him to, I don’t know, consult Dr. Abbingdon. Surely she’s qualified. I’ll call him now. Get this straightened out.”

 

Keb shook her head. “No...That would probably make things worse. He’s as stubborn as I am--I got it from somewhere, after all. And maybe he’s...a little bit right. If you hadn’t been there at the service…” She took a breath, trying to fight the emotions of grief. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard waves crashing on a shore; it steadied her.

 

“Maybe I do still need some help,” she said quietly. “But I promise I will come back to you.”

 

He knew she was right, but did not want to give in. A feeling deep in his stomach formed slowly. A hard swallow prefixed him bowing his head while he covered his eyes. Why at this moment? Something was happening between them and now...now it would screech to a halt like an emergency stop. Softly, “No, not now.” His eyes began to water. Her emotions with his own were hard to hold back.

 

She ran her fingers along his cheek and then kissed him, soft yet there was an intensity to it. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised. “You’re…” Her mind raced for words to express what she was feeling; she just knew that he was worth fighting through anything to get back to. And she would, whatever it took. “You’re important,” she finally said. It didn’t explain it at all, but she could see in his eyes that he understood what she meant.

 

A voice broke over the overhead comm. “USS Manticore will be leaving orbit in one-half hour. Final departures for Earth in ten minutes.” Erich sighed at the shortness of time.

 

“I will walk you to the transporter.” He gave her the best smile he could under the situation. “Is there anything else you need to pack?”

 

“Do you think you’d fit in the bag?” she asked, standing and picking up her Bag O’ Stuff. He looked at it longingly, imagining how he would fit.

 

“I wish. Let’s go.” Erich held on to her hand and lead her out the door. While he may have cared to not show others his feelings toward another officer, he was beyond that now. He could hear their inner voices anyway, filtering real feelings from the front many people put on. Right away another engineer passed by. “Ensign.” The lower ranked officer rounded the corner. “So, where will you be, in a facility or some kind of camp?”

 

“Sleeping at my parents’, spending the days at the same institution they sent me to when I had my breakdown.” She shrugged. “Maybe I can prove I’m getting better.”

 

“Remember, if they have a Betazoid there anything you try to get pass them will likely not work. I mean I can feel a lot more than most, but your thoughts bubble to the surface.” He felt genuine affection for that, while other telepaths may find it hard to shield themselves from. He intertwined his fingers with hers as they walked closer together.

 

“There was a Vulcan researcher there, but it’s mostly humans--it is on Earth, after all.” Keb relished the last few moments of holding his hand, feeling the warmth between her fingers. The transporter room was all too close, and despite her reassurances to Erich, she didn’t know when she could return to the ship. “I guess it’s time,” she said as the door to the transporter room opened for them.

 

Erich turned to the Ensign on duty. “You are dismissed.” The woman simply nodded and left quietly. He led Keb up to the pad. Held both her hands for a long moment. It was the fountain outside the restaurant all over again and again he kissed her like before.

 

Two seconds.

 

Five seconds.

 

Ten seconds.

 

Twenty seconds, then he let go. “Keb...”

 

“Erich…” She wasn’t going to say goodbye. It wasn’t going to be goodbye.

 

He gave her a final embrace. She felt his voice in her mind again; it was getting easier. “Remember the beach. It was a happy time for me from my childhood. Let the memory help you as it does me. Erich turned to walk to the console. It was hard to see her just standing there looking at him as if for a last time. “Keb, take care of yourself and remember the boy.” You too, she thought. He smiled. “Energize.” He activated the transport controls and she was gone.