*** Sickbay USS Chimera *** Lt Richards was back in Sickbay. Once again he sat on the edge of a biobed tapping his heel and waiting. Waiting was not one of his best achievements ... he did it badly. Rangi pressed the palm of her left hand to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. The headache, though slight, was persistent. She reached for her half full glass of water and paused as she read the report again. {{I must call the Major}} she thought frowning and shook her head, totally baffled by what she read. Continuing with her movement to take the glass, her eye caught sight if the time. {{Late..late..late}} she thought, taking a hasty gulp and standing up. She hurried towards the small 'side room' and saw him waiting there. "Rangi!" he said sounding surprised and half rising to his feet as she entered the room. "Rob." she replied with a small polite smile. "What are 'you' doing here?" he asked sitting back and watching her collect a tricorder from a side shelf. "I...'work' here?" she answered. He grinned "Well yes..I know that...I meant what are 'you' doing 'here' with 'me'?" Rangi glanced at him with a puzzled look as she prepared the equipment. "You did your best to avoid me ." he explained. As she walked over to the biobed she said. "Please lay back." He did as she asked and heard the handscanner humm into action. "What do you mean 'I did my best to avoid you'?" she asked concentrating on the readings."...we spoke the other day." "Before...and after that." he answered."You had that Ensign run my routine medical and sent him again to check I was fit to leave." She didnt answer until the scan was completed. "I dont follow you.." she said glancing at him."Can you bend this knee please?" He did as she asked. "It seemed strange thats all..." The hand scanner whirred. "Not really...there were over a hundred 'checks' to do so the work was shared out...and straighten it out please..." "But you didnt come to release me from here after the accident..you sent that nurse." Rangi glanced at Rob but answered nothing and continued with her work. "What you said the other time...about us not being suited...you really meant that?" Setting the tricorder aside and updating his report she answered "Yes." and gave him a quick look. "Sit up please." He did as she requested and the examination continued. "Perhaps you're right..perhaps we werent ready for all that but we 'were' happy...you said so yourself..." and their eyes met as she paused at his words.She looked away. "When you left I expected you to come back. When you didnt I contacted your dad....He wouldnt tell me where you were. Was that your idea or his?" Behaving as though she had not heard his question she pressed a small sensor against his ribs. "Any discomfort?" she asked. :No" "And here?" "No" "Here?" "None of it hurts.!" he said roughly, pushing her hand aside.."Why dont you answer me?" "Because I cant believe we're starting all this again." she said quietly. "You asked me...I answered..thats all there is to say...Lie down please." He stared at her without moving then slowly lay back. Rangi frowned at the tricorder, for a moment forgetting what point she had reached in the 'follow up exam' Momentarily pressing her fingers to her forehead she caught up to speed and began the next requirement. Rob saw her discomfiture and calming his tone said. "You'd really give all this up if he asked you?" She didnt reply and saw with annoyance that she was running a test for the second time. She snapped the scanner off. "After all you told me...about wanting a career of your own...wanting to do this ..and you'd give it up?...for 'him'?" He sat upright and swung his legs over the side of the bed."Why him Rangi...of all people...why 'him'?" "I'm not going to talk about it." she answered meeting his look. "I am NOT having this discussion with you." "He's not right for you.." Rob told her in a low voice. " You're fit to leave here and I suggest you do." she said turning away. Still sitting on the edge of the bed he reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her back to face him. "Let go" she said meeting his eyes "I mean it Rangi...Guzman isnt the man for you." "Let go" she said a little louder.As he released her,clasping her hands tightly against her stomach,and her voice shaking slightly she said.. "You've tried every underhand and deceitful method you could think of to break us up...well dont think of trying it again..it wont work and I'm not interested in your opinion. It wasnt sought and it isnt requested." Rob smiled a smile that wasnt meant to be friendly."You really should listen to me.." he told her "You'll see I'm right Rangi...one day you'll see it." She lifted her head in defiance."I dont like your tone.." He stood up, towering over her..."And I dont like you pushing it in my face that you're in love with another man." Rangi stepped back, feeling anger flow through herself . "Leave now..I'm not completeing this examination...you can re appoint it....get someone else to do it.You will not stand there and say that to me and Iwill not stand here and listen." She turned on her heel she walked quickly away. He was beside her in three strides and pulling her round to face him, roughl, digging his fingers into her arm. "Dont you walk away from me..." he said in a threartening voice.. "Else what?" she cried.."..else WHAT exactly!".Her heart pounded. " Back to your old self? are you?... In a way Ihope you are...because then you'll be removed from this ship and I wont have to see you ANY more...." He dropped his grip and glared at her..the words too true for comfort. "Get out of this Sickbay." *** End Log *** Ltjg Rangi Summers CMO USS Chimera & Lt Robert Richards Assit ODA Comm (npc Rangi)