*** SB Bragg * Last but one day of R&R *** Rangi watched her fathers ship. It moved slowly from the docking ring and remained motionless for some minutes before heading out into the vastness beyond. She took a deep breath and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over and turning away from the observation window, made her way back along the promenade. She took the first turbolift she came to and requested the deck where her and Shanes guest quarters were. Time till departure from Bragg was shortening and Shane had a heap of work ahead of him. A bit more used to leisure in the several last days, he was not too fond about the vision of reading things for long hours.Instead of that he just lay down on the comfortable couch in the sitting room and closed his eyes. The quarters seemed empty as Rangi stood just inside the room. All was still. She had expected to see Shane and wondered where he'd gone as she laid her bag on the chair and moved forward into the room. {Oh there you are} she thought, seeing his figure come into view as she approached the couch. "Are you asleep?" she asked quietly and when he didnt reply, walked silently to the couch and sat down on the edge of it, careful not to disturb him. Very gently, she took his hand in hers. Shane dreamed about something nice ... not anything particularly, just something nice. He was quite a hard sleeper, but this time something was disturbing his sleep ... like there was someone in the room. With some effort he opened his eyes ... and it took him few seconds more to realise that there WAS someone ... Rangi there. "Rangi Milacik" he said with a yawn, "you're back already?" "Yes" she said, smiling down at him. She bent forward to kiss his lips softly then sat up."Dad's ship left on time. " she said, forcing a smile again, determined not to feel sadness that her father had gone. Then changing the subject asked. "We've one day left....want to do anything special or shall we just stay here together?" "Oh" he said slowly returning to the awaken land. He knew of course how sad it was for Rangi to see her father to depart. He knew how close Mr. Summers and his daughter are. "I am sorry about your dad Rangi" he said softly and squeezed her hand. Then he shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the pile of PADDs on his desk: "Lets do something to make them disappear ..." he suggested with a slight grin Rangi glanced across at the padds and sighed."What do you suggest?" she asked, remeeting his eyes. She was aware that the time thay had left together was short and didnt want to spoil the hours that remained, but her mood wasnt one at that moment to be light hearted. Shane was about to suggest something, but then he realised that Rangi wasnt in her best mood. There was something on her mind and knowing his beloved for some time, he knew that the matter had to be solved ... or the whole evening will be spoilt. Leaning to her and kissing her cheek Shane asked: "What's darkening your sky my love?" She shrugged, forced another smile, looked down at the floor and back at him. "Oh I dont know." she said truthfully. " R&R has gone too fast?...we have to go back to Chimera tomorrow?...Dads gone?.... a bit of everything I think. I'm sorry to be morose." She looked at the concern on his face and felt guilty for it. "Shane..." she ventured after a second or two had passed. "....I wanted to talk to you...unless you'd rather go out?" Her expression told him she hoped he would say 'no..lets stay here' Shane was about to shake his head ... he felt that it was something more deep then the ending R&R and stuff and finally Rangi seemed to reveal the real reason {A talk?} he asked himself.Straightening himself up on the couch he said: "I am always here for you my love ... lets talk ..." and gave her a smile. She looked at him doubtfully, suddenly wishing she hadnt said it but mentally shaking herself, knowing that she had wanted this 'talk' for sometime. "There's something i want to ask you." she began and stopped uncertainly. " Its difficult to find time to talk about some things." she said." I mean...when we're on the ship...although we're together..theres always so much in the way of 'us'. Work and people interrupting our time off..all that sort of thing. I know its part of the life we lead...but sometimes I wish we were....well....normal I suppose" She looked down at their clasped hands. "I've had this in mind for a long time ...what I want to say...but the time never seemed right to ask you....and then...the day we arrived here...something made me think..and then Dad said..." she looked up at him and stopped. Shane was not sure what she was trying to say to him ... but the hesitation and the difficulty for Rangi to say it meaned it being something of great importance. He squeezed her hand in assurance and said softly: "What do you want to tell me my love" "Nothing that you dont know." she said with a small smile. " You know I love you dont you?" Her smile faded to seriousness as she asked the question." and you know that I cant imagine life without you?" She paused. "I just think...you'll always 'be' there." Again she forced a smile. "But that day when we came here...you remember? I said I had a surprise for you?...it was only to tell you that Dad was on the base...but you thought..well...you asked if I was...pregnant." She gave an unconvincing grin." When I said 'no'...you looked.....well...you looked relieved...and it bothered me." Shane scratched his a day-unshaved chin. He was aware that this point will come to talk one time. That was inevitable. Every strong relationship had to came to this point. Shane squeezed Rangi's hand again: "Look Milacik, there is nothing that could me draw away from you. I love you very much too Rangi and you know that. Regarding family ... till there is the choice, I think we should wait some more time." Looking in her eyes he continued: "We both are extremely busy in our positions and still want to reach higher metas. I think that a child deserves parents that already have reached their dreams in career and can be there for the little being 'full time' She sat back a little, still holding his hand surprised at his words. "You're right ofcourse." she said quietly. "I want a child someday...ofcourse I do...but not now..not yet." She changed tack. " I wanted to ask you something.... because the way you looked relieved made me wonder if you're happy with how we are. I mean...we love each other...but..well..sometimes I look ahead to when I'm very old." She smiled at him. "Old and grey...but I still imagine you there. But I've wondered what you see.Shane?...in a year...three years..five...ten...what do you see for yourself?...where will you be?...where will WE be? Will we be the same?......... Is that all you want?" Shane was a bit surprised about Rangi asking questions like that. He always thought that women knew when a man loves them or not or if the whole affair is a summer-thing or a love-for-life. He got hold of both of Rangi's hands and squeezed them. He said without any trace of doubt in his voice: "I love you Rangi Summers and I do want to spend my life with you. There is no question if I do or dont want to marry you.I do want of course, the only thing I ask you for is patience. I want to marry once and for the whole life and I want to be me and you 100% sure of doing the right thing. It might take a year or ten ... it doesnt matter ... but when both of us have absolutely no doubt ... I'll ask you to marry me Rangi Summers." "Marry you?" she asked on a whisper of sound."You're thinking of marriage?....to me?" She looked as amazed as she sounded. A smile broke across her face and died there.Her eyes widened and she beamed at him.She shook her head, opened and closed her mouth and then said: "Marry me?...you mean it?" "Whom else my little thing. I love you Rangi and if there ever should be a person breakfasting with me on my 130's birthday ... its you" She laughed. " Shane Guzman.." she said, smiling widely " Oh Shane.....Shane." It was all she managed to say, so surprised and delighted that his mind had been full of that thought. "I thought you wanted to stay...as we are..." In a sudden movement, she leaned to him and hugged him closely. "I really thought you wanted to be a single man.Oh Shane..I cant think what to say to you." "That you will accept when I'll ask you?" he suggested in an childish innocent tone. She leaned back from him to see his face, her own flushed and full of happiness. " I'll seriously consider it." she told him. He pulled her into his arms and she sighed a long sigh. "A little being." she murmured,cuddling against him and thinking of his words. " 'Our' little being... you know?....I would like two or three little beings." She looked up at him from where she lay."What do you think?" Shane rolled his eyes pretending being affectionate: "My and my big mouth ..." *** End Log *** Commander Shane Guzman Executive Officer USS Chimera & LtCmdr Rangi Summers CMO/2XO USS Chimera