Somewhere I have never travelled

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

Evangeline had spent some time in her quarters thinking about the events of the day as she got ready for the party. Her mind was reeling as she played out every moment in her mind. She had washed and primped all while reliving her experiences of the day. The dress she had selected complemented her hair, eyes and skin tone but she had felt too melancholy to really appreciate feeling beautiful in it.

Making her way to 10 Forward, Evangeline had paused outside the door and began pacing back and forth. She had had every intention of going inside. People passed in and out. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, but she just didn’t feel like she could walk in there and put on her happy face.

One of her friends from operations saw her and commented on her dress and how great it was to see her up and about after her injuries. Eva put on her best face and was as gracious and friendly as she could be, but inside she was bleak and forlorn. Making promises to get together at a later time, Evangeline had said her goodbyes and went off in search for a quite place for self reflection.

She found solace in a corner booth next to a window at the back of an empty crew lounge on Deck 8. Eva had slipped off her heels and was holding them by the straps around her finger rotating them absentmindedly from side to side as she sat starring out into space, completely absorbed in her self-pitying thoughts.

Tag Any

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

Joe hadn't really wanted to head back to his quarters, but he had to get away from the female officer who had to practically pry himself away from. He had first tried to find a crew lounge not far from ten-forward, but within minutes, he had been tracked down again. It was like she had a homing beacon for him.

Slipping away, he'd finally found a quieter area of the ship. Ducking into the nearest crew lounge, he breathed a sigh of relief when it was not full. In fact, he had first thought the room was empty as he made his way inside. That was before he saw the young woman in the stunning yellow trimmed dress in the corner.

"Oh, I didn't realize anyone else was in here," he stated as he stopped walking. "Did you want to be alone?"

Tag Evangeline

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

Evangeline was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of a man’s voice. Turing her head in the direction the voice travelled from, she looked up at an unfamiliar face. She paused momentarily as she registered his question and then with a shake of her head and a little wave of her hand she said, “No, not at all.” She had spent too much time alone already. “Would you care to join me?” Evangeline gave him a warm smile and motioned to the seat next to her. “I am Evangeline,” she added extending her hand to him in greeting.

Tag Joe

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

“No, not at all. Would you care to join me? I am Evangeline."

"Joe," He said with a friendly smile as he took her hand. Then, sliding into the seat, he looked in her direction. Something about her face told him she was in need of a friend at the moment. Joe was good at being a friend when a friend was called for.

"So, what brings you to this particular location? Most people still seemed to be at the party. Myself, I was...trying to get away from a rather ambitious officer who was seeking my attention," he smiled, an almost silly smile in her direction. Now, even, if the female officer found him, at least he would be in someone else's company and could beg off from her for the evening.

Tag Eva

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

“Nice to meet you,” she said brightly and watched as he slid into the seat next to her. He had a pleasant kind looking face. A bit older than herself perhaps, but still youthful and handsome.

"So, what brings you to this particular location? Most people still seemed to be at the party. Myself, I was...trying to get away from a rather ambitious officer who was seeking my attention,"

“Ah,” she nodded in a knowing manner and then pursed her lips in a little amused smirk. Looking down at her lap she took a moment to compose herself before look back over at him. “Well…I guess you could say that I would be the ‘flipside’ of that coin.” She paused a moment hoping he would understand what she meant. Then leaning back into her seat she crossed one leg over the other and then continued. “I am hiding in shame from a handsome officer,” gesturing toward Joe to illustrate her point, “who gave me the brush off earlier this evening.” What was the likelihood that the one person who walked in to this empty lounge and sat down next to her to have a chat was a man who had been fleeing from a woman’s attentions? This ought to be an interesting conversation.

Tag Joe

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

Joe chuckled at the irony of the situation. "Too bad we can't trade off," he said with a light-hearted smile on his face. "You could have the person who was seeking your attention and I could receive a bit of the treatment you did earlier." With a sigh, he leaned back against the booth.

Just then the doors to the lounge opened and in walked the one person he did not want to see. The woman's face lit up with the knowledge that she had found her prey. Joe suppressed a groan as he shot a look begging for help towards the woman across from him.

"Oh, Lieutenant Munroe," the woman gushed as she darted up to the table. She reached out her hand to take his before Joe could snatch it away. "I've been looking all over for you. I promised that I would tell you the story of how I found out that my aunt was really not my aunt, but she knew all about my mother whom I've never met. I know you said I should make an appointment, but, I just had to share this with you now." It was clear from her batting eyelashes, mushy tone and overall actions that she truly had other intentions.

"Lieutenant Henderson," Joe began, extracting his hand from hers. "I understand your need to talk about your family, but please, can you not see I am with someone else." Joe gestured to Evangeline. The female officer looked over at Eva with a pouting expression on her face.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I just borrowed you a bit longer," the woman said, turning what she must have thought was a charming smile back on Joe. Joe shot Evangeline a look, hoping she would not take his next words too seriously.

"Actually, Marta," Joe said, looking the woman in the eyes. "I've been waiting for my dear, sweet Evangeline all evening, but you see, she was busy working and just now got free." Joe shot Eva a look, begging her to play along. He even reached across the table to take her hand. When he looked back at Marta, he saw the light in her eyes dim a bit as she began to realize what he was saying.

"So, while I would be happy to see you in my office as counselor and patient. I'm afraid I must decline meeting with you now as Evangeline and I have much to catch up on. I'm sure you understand."

Joe looked over at Eva hoping she wasn't offended by his current tactics, but he felt desperate to get rid of the bothersome woman. Marta simply stood there, looking at them, as though the wheels in her head were turning with new ideas.

Tag Eva

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

"Too bad we can't trade off," he said with a light-hearted smile on his face. "You could have the person who was seeking your attention and I could receive a bit of the treatment you did earlier."

Eva appreciated that he too saw the humor in this situation. “If only,” she said sarcastically and then grinned. At least Joe seemed open to the possibility of attentions from a woman. His pursuer was just not the ‘right’ woman…Did that mean that she was not the ‘right’ woman from Robin’s perspective? She could not help but sigh at the thought.

She was about to add something when the door to the lounge opened and a woman came waltzing in. The woman seemed very happy to see Joe and Joe looked like he had just seen a ghost. Evangeline raised an eyebrow as she looked from Joe to the woman who was absolutely gushing over him. ‘Oh boy! She laying it on think,’ thought Evangeline as she tried to suppress the grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

When the woman gave her that pouty look Eva knew this had to be the woman that Joe had been trying to hide from. That single look told Eva that she was staking claim and wanted Eva to shove off. At this point Joe was practically begging for Eva to intervene. Though the temptation to let him suffer for the sake of jilted women everywhere was very strong, she knew deep down that Joe was not the source of her angst and it would be grossly unfair to watch him be tortured when it would be simple enough for her to send this lady packing.

"Actually, Marta," Joe said, looking the woman in the eyes. "I've been waiting for my dear, sweet Evangeline all evening, but you see, she was busy working and just now got free."

Evangeline decided to help him out. As he reached across the table for her hand Evangeline turned on the charm. She gazed at him adoringly and laced her finger through his.

"So, while I would be happy to see you in my office as counselor and patient. I'm afraid I must decline meeting with you now as Evangeline and I have much to catch up on. I'm sure you understand."

So Joe was the new counselor…great. Oh well, she had already started this charade, best to see it out. Judging from the look on Marta’s face she was still very much in doubt of their faux relationship. Eva needed to remedy that. Standing up Eva shot Marta a scathing look and walked around the table toward Joe. Then sitting across his lap she wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed lovingly into his eyes. “You are so good to me my love,” she said with a syrupy sweetness to her voice and caressed the side of his face with her hand. Looking back up at Marta she said with a little edge to her voice. “I do hope you understand? Joe and I get so little time together.” Evangeline looked back at him and smiled then glanced back at Marta. “It would really mean a lot to me if you schedule an appointment with him at a later date…”

Tag Joe

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

Joe couldn’t have felt greater relief when he realized Evangeline was willing to play along. What he didn’t expect was to find her in his lap. While he knew it was all a charade, he couldn’t help be feel a twinge of excitement race through his body when she caressed his face. He hadn’t been this close to someone in since he arrived on the Nike.

Looking over at Marta, he cast her an ‘I told you’ look and then turned back to Eva. “We’ve got to find a way to coordinate our schedules, so we can be together more.” He drew his arms around her, holding her. He was trying to be careful not to push his luck in the situation. Yet, he also could not deny the fact that she was a very attractive female and she was sitting on his lap!

He found he couldn’t take his eyes off her, which seemed to seal the deal with dear old Marta. With a huffing sound and a bit of a foot stomp, she turned and marched out of the room. Joe heard her mutter, “forget any appointments!” as she vanished from the lounge.

That was when Joe broke into a grin and a bout of uncontrollable laughter.

Tag Eva

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

Evangeline almost lost her composure when Joe shot Marta that look. It was priceless. Had she been on the receiving end she would have gotten the hint loud and clear. Eva knew that if she looked back at the woman she might break character so she kept her attention on Joe.

“We’ve got to find a way to coordinate our schedules, so we can be together more.”

As his arms moved around her waist she felt a pang of excitement ripple through her, making her suddenly aware of him as a man and not just this helpless victim she was rescuing. She locked eyes with him as he looked at her with what appeared to be the same curiosity.

Then she heard Marta mutter something under her breath as she stormed out of the room and Evangeline could no longer hold back her laughter. “Boy, you weren’t kidding,” she said pointing thumb toward the door with a look of amused surprise on her face as she spoke with him conspiratorially in case Marta decided to pop her head back in for good measure, “she really is determined. I guess I better watch my back for a while…”

Tag Joe

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

“Boy, you weren’t kidding, she really is determined. I guess I better watch my back for a while…”

Joe's face turned a bit more serious. "I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble." He couldn't help the smile that returned to his face, "Though the look on her face was worth it all! You saved me countless hours of trying to avoid her. I think we might have convinced her to look elsewhere."

It was almost as if he suddenly remembered that she was still sitting on his lap. He found himself needing to take a breath and clear his throat in order to stop himself from reacting to her. She had helped him when he needed it, he couldn't take advantage of that. But, boy, it was hard not to notice just how stunning she looked in that gold trimmed dress.

"You know, whoever the guy was who gave you the brush off," Joe swallowed a bit more noticeably than usual before adding, "he was a fool." His arms no longer held her as they had during the charade, allowing her to freedom to move about. Joe knew one thing, that other officer was definitely a total fool for letting this beauty walk away from him.

Tag Eva

[Lt. JG Evangeline Vaughn]

"I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble."

Eva shook her head and gave him a little wave of her hand “Don’t worry about it.” With the size of the ship, the chances of her running into Marta were slim. And if for some strange reason the woman sought her out, Evangeline could handle it.

"Though the look on her face was worth it all! You saved me countless hours of trying to avoid her. I think we might have convinced her to look elsewhere."

She nodded and smiled at him. As she looked into his eyes she felt that sudden awareness of him creep back in. Eva exhaled in a long steady breath trying to calm her reaction to his nearness. He really was a very attractive man and he seemed to be having a similar response to her. Feeling her face flush a bit she decided that was her cue to move and put her hand on his shoulder and shifted her weight to stand. When he started to speak she hesitated and looked back at him.

"You know, whoever the guy was who gave you the brush off…he was a fool."

Evangeline searched his eyes, a look of genuine appreciation spreading across her face. “Thank you,” she said softly. Leaning over she gave a gentle kiss on his cheek and then she stood and backed away with a warm smile on her face. Feeling that awkwardness of not really knowing how to deal with the influx of romantic tension in the room, she moved back around the table and slipped her shoes back on. “It’s getting late I should probably get some rest. It’s my first day back on the job tomorrow.” Evangeline started to make her way to the door. Turning back she looked at him and smiled. “For the record, I can see why she was so persistent.” Giving him a flirty grin she turned to make her way out of the lounge.

Tag Joe, end if appropriate

[Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Munroe]

He couldn't quite take his eyes off her, even as she pulled away from him. As she spoke of time, Joe nodded. It was getting rather late and he could feel the effects of the long day, the party and the alcohol all taking its toll on him. Tomorrow was supposed to be a big day as well, what with the launch and all.

"Good luck on your first day back," Joe said to Evangeline as she prepared to leave. "I'm very glad we had this chance to meet."

“For the record, I can see why she was so persistent.”

And then she was gone. Joe couldn't stifle the smile that played on his lips at her departing words. It seemed their little attraction had been mutual. Not that he expected anything, of course, but he found himself feeling a bit better knowing that someone like Evangeline had taken a little extra notice of him.

Sliding out of the booth, Joe, too, left the lounge, ready to call it a night and start fresh with a new day.

End Joe