=/\= Mess Hall - Winter Ball =/\= Athena had been on her way out of the mess hall when one of the ODA officers caught her hand and asked for a dance. She danced with her partner for two dances as she thought about the preparations for the dance. The one thing she was surprised she got approved was to serve real alcoholic drinks instead of synthenol, even if they were watered down ones. Nothing was stronger than an 18% solution. She smiled as her partner's changed and now she was dancing with an engineer. The music ended and another ODA officer stepped up for a dance. She didn't know how many dances she had danced in a row and she had even lost track of the number of partners she had danced with. Athena parted ways with her last partner and she was heading towards the bar for some refreshment, when Philip appeared before her and asked, "Another dance?" "I'm on my way to get something to drink," she tried for an excuse to avoid the teenager. He grabbed Athena's wrist and said softly, "You wouldn't want me to report that you were neglectful in your duties?" Marine Phil Barnes, standing at the bar, was amused to watch the antics of one of the 'guest children'. She was a pretty girl but even Phil thought her dress was a little bit too daring for a girl her age. He took a slow drink from his beer and grinned to himself. {She surely is going all out to get the doc to notice her} he thought as Gina danced ever nearer to Scott Fisher, who did his best to ignore her. Phil chuckled to himself and glanced around the mess hall. His attention was caught by the counselor. Phil frowned..{She doesn't look to happy...who's that with her?...aaaah...I see.} He took another swallow of beer and eased himself away from the bar. Coming closer to Athena and her partner, he saw at once why the counselor looked so unhappy. "Beat it," he said in a low voice, tapping Philip on the shoulder and moving next to Athena. At the sound of the deep voice Athena looked up and was surprised to see who it was. Philip's eyes narrowed as if he was trying to guess at what is luck would be. Eventually he shrugged and smiled at the older man before saying, "She's probably easy." Athena ignored the comment and moved a little closer to Phil, Rob's friend. The marine said nothing but his eyes locked onto the boy who took a backward step. Without dropping his gaze, Phil leaned down to Athena and said simply, "Excuse me counselor." He moved to stand in front of Philip and shook his head. "I don't know who you are sonny." He said in an even yet somehow threatening tone, "...And frankly I don't care if you're the son of an Admiral of the Fleet. You do NOT say things like that in front of a lady..you know... its not 'good manners'." He straightened up to his full 'well over six foot height' and laid his hand on Philip's shoulder. " I think you lack something in that department," he said, "...but I for one will gladly teach you some. Now run along...and keep your thoughts to yourself." Philip swallowed the lump that was in his throat and took his first few steps backward so he could watch the marine as the teenager made his get away. As Phil turned around to met Athena's gaze; she replied softly, "Thank you." She continued with a small smile, "I think you iced over his raging river of hormones." She wondered what Phil was thinking as they hadn't talked much since Rob's death. She looked away and started to point as she said, "I should ..." "...Do nothing!" Phil finished Athena's words for her and grinned at her amazed expression as he firmly put his arms around her shoulder and waist and drew her into the dancing crowd. "Time to relax!" he said and lead her a few steps. He had not spent a great deal of time in her company but he knew her well enough from hearing Rob Richards talk about her. His fellow marine had been in love with this woman, of that Phil was quite certain but whether or not the counselor had felt the same he couldn't say. He gave her a small smile and asked "So...how are these days?" She followed his lead and was surprised at how similar Phil's style was to Rob's. She wondered if they learned to dance from the same person. "I've been .... OK," she finally answered. Phil didn't answer apart than to nod acknowledgment. Perhaps because of who he was dancing with, his thoughts were on his old friend. Without leading into the subject he said, "He was one of the best friends I ever had." He gave a short laugh. "He was ill tempered and wild at times...particularly when he took too much drink...but I could depend on him right down the line...and I miss him." At this statement they stopped moving. Phil, lost in some thought suddenly glanced at his partner and smiled an apology. "Sorry...this isn't the place or the time...can I get you a drink?" Athena knew exactly what Phil was talking about and she would have continued to listen to him in silence. "Any time is the right time to talk about good friends," she replied. She looked away as she sensed that the relationship of Rob's and Phil's was like that of brothers or at the very least blood brothers. Her silence lasted a minute or two longer than it should have as a thought of her own flashed through her mind. "A drink would be lovely." "What will you have?" he asked and moved towards the bar, side stepping other couples and glancing back at Athena to see she followed safely. "A whiskey sour," she said. She noticed the raise of Phil's eyebrows but was thankful for his silence. =/\= End Part 1 =/\= Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera & 1Lt. Phil Barnes ODA NPC apb: Rangi