===== Athena's quarters ===== Athena slowly opened her eyes and tried to push the fogginess from her head. She looked around a bit confused; she didn't remember coming into the bedroom after talking with Shane. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stretched as she stood up. She made a quick trip to the bathroom and slowly walked out into the living room. She stopped shot when she thought she saw Shane laying on the sofa. She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear it. {It is Shane. What an awkward position!} He was laying in such away that Athena didn't think he had meant to stay. It was almost as if he had fallen there and just didn't move. She walked over to the sofa quietly and sighed softly as she heard Shane take in a deep breath. {Well, at least he isn't dead.} She reached out a gentle touched his shoulder and said, "Shane," softly. In his dreams Shane was chasing little green aliens and bigger green aliens were chasing him. He was just catching one especially green monster in his hat when something disturbed his world. Something just prevented him to catch that little devil. He slowly opened his eyes and for a moment stared at Athena, not really realizing who she was. He tried to focus his sight on the face in front of him and only very slowly he got his memories back ... {Athena ... sleep ... HER quarters!} Suddenly he became quite awake. His eyes widened a bit as he asked the obviously: "Athena?" "Ah.... it is my quarters so yes its me," she answered. "Aren't you uncomfortable," she asked when he still hadn't changed his position. "Er ..." he muttered as he tried to lift himself to sit up on her sofa. Once sitting, he felt a light dizziness for a moment and only after that moment he realized how she was dressed ... in her nightgown and robe ... but the robe wasn't pulled tight anymore. Again ... (even if unintentionally) she was looking VERY lovely. {Jezus!} he thought. "What the hell am I doing here?" he asked to change his thoughts and really quite not sure how he got here. Athena had been leaning over Shane slightly and when he moved abruptly she fell back against the coffee table. "Well, you came here to talk to me but ...," she paused and was silent for a bit. "And I remember us talking for a while," she continued, "and then I remember the sound of snare drums and ....." She hesitated before she continued, "And then I found myself waking up in the bedroom." She'd stick to what she knew and let him come up with the rest. As she fell back Shane instinctively jumped to his feet and offered his hand to get her up. With the slight hesitation she accepted his hand and he pulled her gently up. He looked in her face and ruffled his (already ruffled enough) hair. Nervous or not sure ... that were situations when Shane used to do that. Moving no inch he said slowly: "Yes, you fell asleep and I carried you over to your bed room ..." he paused a bit before continuing: "Then I left your quarters ... no ... I was about to leave and said to myself that I can't stay here but" his voice faded as he realized what did he already say. Athena raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. She didn't care if he stayed or not but she was wondering about the escorts that had come with Shane. She looked at his rumpled appearance and then looked down at her own appearance. She opened the robe smoothed down her way too wrinkled nightgown before retying the belt. An errant curl fell over her forehead as she asked, "How do you think your escorts are holding up?" That was typical Athena ... always shining a certain fluidum and even increasing it with little things she was doing. One could say that there was nothing 'extra' on her retying her belt ... but the WAY she did it ... that was the source of all the rumours concerning her and many men on the ship. Shane remembered the two marines that should be standing watch in front of the door and focused his thoughts that way. After a little while ... he grinned at Athena and said: "If yes, we are in trouble, if not its they who will be in trouble. You want me to check?" She smiled at him wickedly and said, "No, I'll check." Shane could tell something was up but only because he knew her so well. She walked over and opened the door and walked out into the corridor. The marines' attention were on Athena as she walked past one of them. One of the marines moved closer leaving room for Shane to sneak out behind them without being seen. The other marine reached out to stop the counselor's progress down the hall. "Excuse me Lt....," was all the marine got out before one of his fingers caught the robe belt. As Athena turned around to address the marine that was baring her path the robe slithered to the floor. Athena gasped softly and both marines froze for a second or two before making a grab for the robe. How was she making it all? ... was the capital question here. All the things that happen to her, finding herself in a bed not knowing how she got there with the XO sleeping in the next room ... walking outside her quarters and 'by chance' causing 'a halloo' for the two poor marines ... it must be some kind of wizardry ... woman's wizardry. If Shane would like to run away like a hare, this would be the perfect opportunity ... both Marines were all fixed on Athena and paying little to none attention to everything else. But Shane learned early enough to stand behind his own actions and decisions, so he 'only' took few fast steps in the opposite direction as Athena before did and now 'might' appear that he came out from the corridor instead of Athena's quarters. Taking one step in the 'right' direction he asked loudly: "What is going on here?" Athena smiled brightly as she let the silky material of the robe slip through the marine's hands. As she slipped into the Robe she said, "I was wondering where you had gotten to." The marines moved to attention as soon as the robe slipped through their fingers and looked at the XO. Athena questioned lightly, "You two didn't fall asleep did you?" The marines looked at each other and shook their heads even if visibly not all to convinced: "No, ma'am". Shane beamed a small grin at Athena and turned to the two marines: "Well it almost looked like so when I left here hours ago" He knew that a simple log check might reveal him and he mentally noted he had to take care of it. Athena smiled and let a palm rest on each marine's chest. "I'm sure it was just the long hours." She turned her smile to Shane and said, "Thanks for the talk last night." She paused a moment letting her hand run a short length of the marines' chests and then asked, "Meet me later for some tea?" Only Shane's eyes could reveal him and only a telepath could read his mind. If Athena did ... was not known to him. He nodded at her and said: "Anytime Athena. I'll check some things now and be back in one hour," he finished with a tiny smile. Turning to the marines he said pretending to be serious: "We talk about the sleep later, now come with me" HE turned once more to Athena and said now really a bit serious: "No walking without an escort Athena, OK?" She started walking back into her quarters and paused at Shane's request. She looked over her shoulder and said, "I'll try to remember that." She hadn't let on whether she would wait for an escort or not, but it was the best answer Shane was going to get as door slid closed. If he wanted to be sure she would follow the order he would have to leave one of the marine's posted right where he was. ====== End Log ======== LtCmdr. Shane Guzman XO USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera