Secrets
Title: "Secrets"
Author: prettysirenx
Rating: PG
Genre: angst
Spoilers: No actual spoilers -- just S2 speculations.
Disclaimer: Don't own SGU.
Author's note: prompted by aryas_zehral
Chloe stood on the observation deck, panting as sweat trickled down her neck and brow. She’d been running the halls of the ship for an hour. Her plan was to run until she couldn’t run anymore and maybe then she would be able to sleep.
Approaching footsteps let her know her solitude was being intruded upon before she even turned around, but she recognized the purposeful gait: it was Rush.
“I could hear you in your quarters when I was jogging,” she remarked. “You were having a nightmare, weren’t you?”
“Aye.”
He moved beside her, leaning on the railing.
“And you’ve been running every night,” he said quietly.
“I don’t have to think so much when I run.”
There was some silence for a couple of seconds, but the pause was thick and tense. Rush broke it abruptly.
“You were in my dream.”
She turned to look in his dark eyes. There was something there -- something important.
“Was I?”
His lip twitched slightly, as though he was going to smile, but he didn’t. Instead, he began talking again.
“What’s your opinion on secrets, Chloe?”
“They’re necessary sometimes,” she replied thoughtfully. “But they’re a heavy burden to bear alone.”
He nodded and shifted on his foot restlessly.
“If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”
“What makes you think I’m keeping a secret?” Chloe asked, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“Because you are. It’s all over you, love.”
She smiled.
“Can’t put anything past you, can I?”
He could see the wheels turning in her head, as well as the precise moment when she decided that she would let him in on her secret. She tugged at the neck of her shirt and pulled it tight, revealing her shoulder and the blue skin which was growing there.
“Chloe,” he breathed. Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. He was compelled to touch her shoulder, brushing his fingers gently over the blue area.
“There’s a place like it on my thigh too,” she said.
“Does Lt. Scott know about this?”
“I haven’t let him touch me in over a week -- not since I noticed this,” she whispered, letting go of her collar. Her eyes grew desperate as she admitted, “I’m scared.”
“Come on,” Rush said, putting his hand on her back.
“Where are we going?” she asked as she allowed him to lead her out into the corridor.
“I’m holding up my end of the bargain. I’m going to show you my secret.”
They went into a part of the ship that Chloe had never been in before. They wound their way through corridors until they finally stopped in front of some door. Rush opened it. Her mouth gaped as she looked inside the room before her, taking in the magnificence.
“It’s Destiny’s bridge,” he told her as they walked inside. “You and I are holding puzzle pieces, Chloe. That’s what our secrets are: pieces of an important puzzle. They fit together somehow. And I think it’s important to find out why. Will you help me?”
“Y-yes,” she stammered. But she reiterated with more assurance, “Of course.”
“Very good,” he said, giving her a very small smile.
He walked over to the captain’s chair and sat down. Chloe stood beside him and gazed out the window ahead. Finally, Destiny had so much more meaning.
Author: prettysirenx
Rating: PG
Genre: angst
Spoilers: No actual spoilers -- just S2 speculations.
Disclaimer: Don't own SGU.
Author's note: prompted by aryas_zehral
Chloe stood on the observation deck, panting as sweat trickled down her neck and brow. She’d been running the halls of the ship for an hour. Her plan was to run until she couldn’t run anymore and maybe then she would be able to sleep.
Approaching footsteps let her know her solitude was being intruded upon before she even turned around, but she recognized the purposeful gait: it was Rush.
“I could hear you in your quarters when I was jogging,” she remarked. “You were having a nightmare, weren’t you?”
“Aye.”
He moved beside her, leaning on the railing.
“And you’ve been running every night,” he said quietly.
“I don’t have to think so much when I run.”
There was some silence for a couple of seconds, but the pause was thick and tense. Rush broke it abruptly.
“You were in my dream.”
She turned to look in his dark eyes. There was something there -- something important.
“Was I?”
His lip twitched slightly, as though he was going to smile, but he didn’t. Instead, he began talking again.
“What’s your opinion on secrets, Chloe?”
“They’re necessary sometimes,” she replied thoughtfully. “But they’re a heavy burden to bear alone.”
He nodded and shifted on his foot restlessly.
“If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”
“What makes you think I’m keeping a secret?” Chloe asked, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“Because you are. It’s all over you, love.”
She smiled.
“Can’t put anything past you, can I?”
He could see the wheels turning in her head, as well as the precise moment when she decided that she would let him in on her secret. She tugged at the neck of her shirt and pulled it tight, revealing her shoulder and the blue skin which was growing there.
“Chloe,” he breathed. Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. He was compelled to touch her shoulder, brushing his fingers gently over the blue area.
“There’s a place like it on my thigh too,” she said.
“Does Lt. Scott know about this?”
“I haven’t let him touch me in over a week -- not since I noticed this,” she whispered, letting go of her collar. Her eyes grew desperate as she admitted, “I’m scared.”
“Come on,” Rush said, putting his hand on her back.
“Where are we going?” she asked as she allowed him to lead her out into the corridor.
“I’m holding up my end of the bargain. I’m going to show you my secret.”
They went into a part of the ship that Chloe had never been in before. They wound their way through corridors until they finally stopped in front of some door. Rush opened it. Her mouth gaped as she looked inside the room before her, taking in the magnificence.
“It’s Destiny’s bridge,” he told her as they walked inside. “You and I are holding puzzle pieces, Chloe. That’s what our secrets are: pieces of an important puzzle. They fit together somehow. And I think it’s important to find out why. Will you help me?”
“Y-yes,” she stammered. But she reiterated with more assurance, “Of course.”
“Very good,” he said, giving her a very small smile.
He walked over to the captain’s chair and sat down. Chloe stood beside him and gazed out the window ahead. Finally, Destiny had so much more meaning.