The Scare: Part 1 - Afraid

Posted on Sat Feb 15th, 2020 @ 1:34pm by
Edited on on Fri Jun 12th, 2020 @ 6:36am

906 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Mission 7 - Aenerth for an Earth
Location: Shri's Quarters
Timeline: 2296/02/28 - 1300

OOC: This is after we leave Aenerth.

Shri was sitting, semi-curled up on her couch in her quarters, staring out the small window she had. One leg was pulled up to her chest with her chin sitting against her knee. Though it wasn't immediately visible, her hand were shaking as they were wrapped around her leg. How was she even supposed to bring this subject up? How could she have forgotten like she did? Was there any safe way to bring up the possibility? She didn't even know what they really were, their relationship.

But none the less, she'd sent a message off to Magnus, asking him to come over when he could.

As a communications officer, Magnus Grey was pretty good at reading between the lines of people's messages. She asked to come over when he could, but understood that what she wanted to discuss was urgent. The instant his bridge watch shift ended, he went to her cabin instead of his. He chimed her door, waiting nervously for her to answer.

Glancing over at the door but not moving otherwise, Shri knew who it would be. "Come in," she said as she looked back out the window.

Magnus stepped inside and waited for the door to close behind him. "Hey. You asked to see me?" He took some tentative steps toward her, still not knowing for sure what this was about.

"You know you can come in, Magnus. You don't have to stay over by the door," she said, finally looking over at him, but a look of worry mixed with panic was on her face.

"Shri?" he said, finally seeing the look on her face. He moved briskly to her and knelt in front of the couch. He took one of her hands in his. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

Shifting how she was sitting, Shri bit her lip for a moment before lowering her head, "We...might have a problem, Magnus..."

“What is it?” he asked, speaking softly. “Tell me. What’s our problem?”

"We..may not have been as careful all those nights as we thought. I..." She didn't even know how to say what it was.

He began to piece it together. Careful all those nights. “You’re...” It wasn’t a question. He wasn’t actually asking her to clarify. He understood.

“I don’t know...maybe? I thought I’d kept in my birth control schedule...”

“I...” How does one say this? Directly, Magnus supposed. “I don’t think I did. I was in to see Iona a few days ago. While I was with her, I got my monthly injection...but I tried doing the math and I think it had been more than a month. I think we had at least one or two nights when my birth control had worn off. I’m so sorry.”

Eyes looking to his, Shri gave Magnus' hands a squeeze. "I think we both were off by a few days. We...I haven't gone to sickbay to check yet." She put a hand onto his cheek, "You don't have to be sorry."

“What...what do you plan to do?” Magnus asked. “If tests come back positive, that is?” He relished her gentle touch on his cheek. Soothing in this moment of panic.

"I don't know. But, if I am, I want you as part of the decision making. This isn't something that is a one person decision, Magnus." She shifted on the seat to make room for him.

He took the cue and sat next to her. “Well, maybe we’re being ahead of ourselves anyway. But it’s hard not to think about it.”

Shri laid her head against Magnus' shoulder and let her eyes close, "Maybe we are. But you're right, it's hard to not think about. You have no idea how many circles my mind has been running in the past few hours."

"Few hours?" Magnus asked. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"We were busy, being on duty and such. How was I supposed to bring it up? I'm sorry I didn't..."

"No, no, it's fine," he said, gently giving her hand a squeeze. "I just meant that you didn't need to be anxious alone."

Shri shook her head, "I know. But I didn't want to bother you. Plus," she looked over at him, "I had to figure out a way to say something."

Magnus let out a chuckle. "Yeah. That's not exactly something to just blurt out. Needs the right words, doesn't it?" He took a deep breath. "Whatever happens, whatever you choose to do, you have my support. Alright?" He squeezed her hand again.

"It really isn't, is it?" She squeezed his hands back and let out a shaky sigh. "We probably need to find out though, don't we?"

"That we do. Do you want me to come with you?"

Shri looked over at him, "If you want to. I doubt the two of us are really a secret anymore around the ship. And besides, I know Iona will keep it quiet...at least I hope she will..."

"I trust Iona," he nodded. "Now? Or later?"

"Better to do it now than sit wondering, right?"

Magnus nodded. “Shall we then?”

Nodding back, Shri stood up and kissed his cheek, "Thank you for going with me, Magnus. I don't think I've ever quite been as on edge as this in an extremely long time."

 

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