=/\= Counselor's Office =/\= Athena sat in an arm chair and listened to the cadet who laid on the sofa looking totally exhausted. She sighed softly as she rested her chin on her hand as the cadet continued on something about an unusual meeting with a dog. He had already told her every detail of his trip to meet the Chimera and Athena wondered how he'd managed to get anywhere without a counselor or some kind of keeper in tow. Athena laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and asked, 'Having you always been afraid of dogs?" Ceril answered, "Well, I never thought I was ... I mean I never had a pet growing up and there weren't any at the academy. Well.... except for maybe an occasional guard dog ....but they are always so docile. I guess I never really thought about it before." The Cadet continued on, "but ....now ....well how can I not be afraid?" "Are you sure it wasn't just the situation," she asked congenially. The cadet tore agitatedly at a tissue, breaking off tiny little pieces as he went. "No, no.... I'm certain it'll be with me forever now. This bear of a dog jumps on the table and just takes my burger," he complained. "I've heard that brute has cornered other people as well ...." Athena had seen many people in the last couple of days some just needing an ear or a sounding board. Some talk about how they felt under the pollen influence and some how they were dealing with their exhaustion from taking care of other crew members. None of them, however, had quite the spin or the long winded nature of Cadet Winnie and none of the rest of them whined like he did either. Athena gave another small sigh and then got up and went to the replicator. She made her request and then return to the sofa handing a small fluffy stuffed dog out to the cadet. Ceril jumped up making the bits of tissue fly all over the area around the sofa. "What's that for," he asked looking at the small toy as though it contained a fatal disease. Athena counted to ten in her head and took a calming breath before replying, "Its for aversion therapy." The cadet looked at her questioningly. Still holding the stuffed dog in her hand she continued, "You are to hold and pet this stuffed dog every time you are agitated and maybe sleep with it the first couple of nights. He looked at her incredulously at first and then nodded his head as she continued to hold the stuffed toy out to him. "I'll send you an appointment for in a couple of weeks," she said patiently. The young cadet took the dog and walked out of the counselor's office nearly running into a marine who was quite a bit taller than him. Ceril stepped around the taller man and began grumbling as he continued on down the hallway. Thomas O'Connell stepped into the counselor's office and watched for a seconds as she pulled a few pieces of lint out of her hair and then began picking them up off the floor. "You sent for me, Ma'am" Thomas said. Athena stood up and looked at the marine standing there. She remembered him barely, but gave him a small smile and replied, "Yes, I did." She walked over to him and said, "I wanted to thank you for your help." Thomas seemed to stand there considering whether there was more to what the counselor said or not. She nibbled the corner of her lower lip as a silence developed between them. She licked her lip to soothe it and then said, "Thanks, I needed your help more than I realized." Thomas looked at the bits in her beautiful raven black hair and looked her again in her eyes, somewhat doubting her words. He was not sure if she wasn't just teasing and playing like the rumor about this woman was. "Do you Ma'am?" Athena had been a bit curious about the man that had taken her to sickbay and really wanted to thank him. One to satisfy her curiosity and one two really thank him. "I cannot think Of a time where I didn't say what I meant," she replied wondering what he had heard and believed. Thomas's security instincts told him that he should be on his toes. Sure thing, Athena was a very beautiful woman, but he had heard about more then one man who burn himself with her. But on the other hand ... he wasn't a man to run away from a challenge. "So, is this going to be a thank you and you might go or thank you and lets go for a dinner?" he asked trying his luck. "Just a thank you, but as I haven't had dinner yet company is always a plus to eating alone," she replied. She was actually still a bit embarrassed about some of the things that went on when she was under the pollens influence. {Maybe having someone else around would prevent others from asking questions.} "Have you had dinner, yet," she asked. Thomas stared at her for a moment not sure if her answer meant yes or no. It was the art of answer that was saying 'yes' but not to your question. But when did he backed back when not sure? Hardly ever. "Its a deal ma'am" he replied, "you want to go now? I've heard that the mess hall is quite empty at this time" "Now is fine she answered. She gave him a sly look and asked, "Do I need to change into something more comfortable?" That question surprised him. He halfway expected the dinner to be a formality, maybe a try for his side ... but maybe he was wrong. No woman intending to do you only a 'favor' would bother to change into something 'more comfortable'. He smiled at her for the first time: "That would be very nice" he said in a slightly softer tone. She knew of the many rumors that followed her around the ship and she shook her head before she asked, "Is there something in particular you'd like to see me in?" It was a load question, but one that usually let her know about one's sincerity and integrity. The night gown he saw her in the first time was a tempting offer, truly ... even though he gave the impression of a playboy, he wasn't one in reality. He thought that a tight sexy shirt and the same like jeans would do it very well, but he smiled at Athena and said: "No ma'am" stressing the ma'am, "its your choice. And then its me who has to change I suppose" he added. "Only if you want to," she said as she walked to the replicator and recycled the bits of torn tissue that were in her hand. "I'll be right back she said as she went through the door connecting her office to her quarters. It was only a few minutes later that Athena returned wearing a pair of hip hugging jeans and a thin silky flowing top with a low neckline. He looked at the woman in front of his admiringly. NO question, all the rumors about how seductive this woman can be were true. She just radiated it from the way she walked, the way she dressed ... even spoke. Thomas's thoughts returned to the cadet he passed upon coming to Athena's quarters. He asked himself if he was not the first one today she went out with. "You look very nice Ma'am," he said and meant it. In some interesting way, a woman sometimes looked more sexier when dressed then naked and Athena looked dammed sexy in her outfit. Thomas just hoped that his cheeks weren't too red. Athena gave Thomas a smile to put him at ease because other then she could sense some tension from him he wasn't let much show. She motioned toward the door and said, "Shall we?" "Ah....yes, " he said then reached out to remove the last piece of shredded tissue from her hair. The intamacy of the act had Athena thinking of the past. =/\= End Log =/\= Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera & Cadet Ceril Winnie NPC apb: Jass & Marine Thomas O'Connell NPC with help from: Muma