=/\= Mess Hall - Winter Ball - part 2 =/\= Phil caught the bartenders attention, ordered a beer for himself and repeated Athena's choice. Taking the glasses, Phil nodded towards a vacant seat. "Lets try that one," he said and this time Athena led the way. He placed her glass in front of her once she was sitting comfortably and taking a sip from his beer, moved to his own chair and sat beside her. He raised his glass... "To absent friends." She clinked her glass to Phil's and then brought the glass to her lips. She drained about half the contents of her glass before placing it back on the table. "I didn't realize I was so thirsty," she said to the astonished look on Phil's face. "Another?" he asked and grinned. Without waiting for reply he gave an ear splitting whistle and signaled to the bartender that a repeat order was required. Athena nodded her head at Rob's question and smiled. She finished her first drink as the second was placed on the table. Phil watched her take hold of the glass and took a swallow from his beer. Neither spoke. Phil looked at the couples nearest to them then glanced at Athena. "You miss him, too." It was statement of fact and the thought struck Phil {Who do counselors talk to?...who counsels a counselor?} "You ever....talk about him?" Phil asked and drank a long drink. Athena answered quietly, "Yes..." She looked away and then back at Phil before continuing, "Not much." She was silent for a minute or two before she asked, "Do you get many opportunities to talk about him?" Phil considered the question. "Yes..now and then. His name crops up when we're talking about this and that..past glories," he grinned at her then became serious. "I had a letter from his father...did you know that?" he glanced at her quickly. "No .... I didn't," she replied and continued, "but sometimes I get the impression people like to try and hide things from me." She sighed and took a healthy swallow of her drink. "I don't think Rob's family knew anything about me," she stated calmly. Phil looked at her for a long moment. "No," he said and lifted his glass to occupy himself. "I took him home," he said quietly after drinking and setting his glass down carefully. He looked at it rather than Athena. "His dad was...." Phil paused and frowned. After some seconds passed, he sadly shook his head. After long silence where Athena sipped at her drink, she inquired, "His dad .... What?" Phil broke free from the memory he was in and looked at Athena consideringly. He would never tell anyone his opinion of Rob's father. Dropping his gaze to the table top he replied, "His dad wanted to know how his son died...whether in action or not. I told him; he could proud of his son." He met Athena's eyes at the last statement. She met Phil's gaze evenly and confirmed, "He died doing his job ..... just like he would have wanted." Athena concentrated on her drink and finally finished the rest of its contents. Phil gazed at the empty glass. "Want another?" he asked shifting on his seat. Athena nodded her acceptance of another drink. She remained quiet for several minutes as she relived that awful scene in her head. Her gaze finally focused on her refreshed drink and she asked, "And his mother or his brother .... did they say anything?" "His brother?....no...not really. He didn't say much at all." Phil glanced across the table feeling uneasy now that the conversation had gone this far. He didn't want to upset the counselor but felt he owed it to Rob to talk to her, to tell her what she wanted to know. He glanced around and moved so that he was nearer to her as though he wanted more privacy than they had. "Rob's mother.....thanked me.. for taking her son home. She thought the world of him....wanted to know how he'd been..what he'd been doing..everything." Phil paused," She wanted to know about...whether Rob had met anyone else after...I told her about you." Phil watched Athena's face. Athena sipped her drink as she listened to Phil. "And what did she think," Athena couldn't help but ask. She was curious and it was the most she had talked about Rob since his death. In some ways it hurt but in others it felt good. "I gave her a hologram," he waited for a reaction but none came so he continued, speaking quietly and watching her face. " It was a little one of you. Rob kept it and when I cleared his room I found it. I told his mother that he had met you and that...you made him very happy...that he loved you. I know he did, Athena," he nodded when she looked at him. "She wanted to know who you were and where you met..and I told her all I knew about you two. It was a comfort to her..to think he was happy at last." She reached out and touched his hand letting him know silently that he had done the right thing. She didn't trust her voice because of the knot that resided at the top of her voice box and she took a swallow of her drink in hopes that would clear her throat. Phil covered her hand with his and gave a gentle squeeze. "She's a nice person," he said, " ... a kind woman...and lonely I think. You might want to talk to her one day...her name is Miriam." Athena nodded but doubted that would ever happen. Rob's father would put an end to that most likely. She took another swallow of her drink and gave Phil a smile. "I'm glad he had a friend like you," She said quietly. "And I'm glad he met you, Athena " Phil didn't return the smile but looked down at their hands and then back at her lovely face "...and that you were with him to the end.." She finished her drink and looked at the last of the dancer floating around the floor. She stood suddenly saying, "I need to go and check on the children," and she turned and started for the door. Phil sprang to his feet and caught up with her after a few steps. "Athena...lieutenant?...I hope I haven't spoken out of turn. I wouldn't want to upset you." Athena swallowed hard and said, "No ... you haven't .... I just really need to check on the children..." She looked away for a second or two and forced herself to hold her tears back. "I just don't think anyone has checked on them in a while," she finished. Phil knew it was an excuse and that if he offered to go with her, she would refuse, but still he felt responsible. "OK then...perhaps we can...talk again sometime." Athena nodded and let out the breath she'd been holding. "That would be nice," she responded softly. She took a few steps away before she turned and looked at Phil standing there watching her go. Phil turned back to the bar and at the bartenders questioning look nodded approval. He glanced back toward the door at the same moment that Athena turned but said nothing. =/\= End Log =/\= Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera & 1Lt. Phil Barnes ODA NPC apb: Rangi