Old times and New

Posted on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 @ 4:00am by Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Brigadier General Kaden Ross

1,998 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: USS Sutherland - Ariana’s Quarters
Timeline: Day 7 1000 hrs

Ariana was following doctors orders for a change sitting down with her feet up going over crew evaluations and personnel files. The PADDs were starting to pile up so it needed to be done. She was looking through Kaden Ross’ personnel file when the chime rang.

Kaden walked in with his arms behind his back pointing at the door. “Sorry, for letting myself in I hope you don’t mind, Counselor Monroe.” He told her.

"Of course I don't mind Kaden and drop that Counsellor stuff" she grinned. "Make yourself at home. How's Frey doing? or should I be asking how you are?"

Kaden wasn’t sure how to begin her her tapped the tips of his fingers together on both his hands slightly nervous as he still had problems over this whole revelation of Freya’s incident. He looked around and spotted something familiar on Ariana’s desk. “Hey, I remember this,” He picked up the photo of him and Ariana together in high school dressed up for prom. Problem was Kaden never actually took her to the prom her parents had set up a private prom of their own for them in their backyard. “I still feel bad to this day I never really took you to the prom at all while in high school.”

"It wasn't your fault Kaden, my parents were highly protective of me you know that." She smiled as she looked at the picture. "We made a good couple back then didn't we? It's hard to believe that I more or less ignored my future husband back then, he was in our year he just never seemed interested in girls back then. It was several years later that Johnathon and I finally got together." She offered a faint smile, the loss of her husband was still a painful thing to think about. "Frey doesn't mind you coming to see me does she?"

“Ariana, you always did have a thing for the silent genetic freak types I guess,” Kaden turned to her and offered a smile. “But you did make me happy like I meant something to another person beyond my own family.” He walked over to the nearest seat and sat down still unsure what to say about things between him and Freya. “Freya, asked me to come see you so yes she is aware of me being here.”

"I get the feeling that you're not sure how to be around Freya at the moment. Am I right?" She looked at him understandingly. "You just learned that your wife was forced into an act that she didn't give her permission for. That would be hard for any husband to accept, I'd imagine Freya's father would be feeling much the same as you. I fully understand but don't let that come between you, the two of you are meant for each other Kaden."

Kaden smacked the palm of his hand on the arm rest of the chair. “But I treated her like she was nothing but a whore, Ariana, I love her with every fiber of my being like I do you cause you and Freya are so much alike and you both love one another like sisters.” He sat up shaking his head. “It is about as bad as me going all retard on you when I first saw you pregnant it just...wasn’t me I am not some monster like that but yet I do or say terrible things to people I love and cherish.”

Ariana sat and listened letting Kaden speak his mind. "Have you told Frey how you feel? Have the two of you sat and talked about this?"

Kaden nodded his head at Ariana before sitting down again in the chair. “We did a little before I came to see you, she has forgiven me but it still don’t help that I did what I did to her. You know how I am Ariana I just...have such a hard time trying to forgive myself of the mistakes I made.” He confessed to the Counselor before him.

“I know” She smiled. “I remember when we used to date that you had a hard time forgiving yourself for the slightest mistakes or misunderstandings. You need to be able to forgive yourself Kaden, Freya is holding onto the guilt of what happened to her and you are holding onto the guilt of how you feel. The two of you need to sit down together and talk out how you both feel. It’s going to be a long road to recovery Kaden, you’ll need each other.

Kaden slouched in his chair a little with a sigh as he thought in silence for a moment. “I will try the best I can to forgive myself but it is not going to be easy I hurt her when she needed me most...I love her so much.” He took a deep breath and interlaced his fingers. “You know after we broke up, Ariana, I felt I was destined to die a lonely old man.”

"I doubted that all along" Ariana smiled. "You're a very loving man Kaden, what we had....it was special while it lasted but you were destined to find Freya and I'm glad you're both so happy together. Don't let this drive you apart, keep each other close you don't really realise what you have until it's gone." Her smile faded a little as she thought of her husband.

“If what we had was special then why did you break up with me really? Was it to hurt me in the end cause John was better than me and some genetic freak?” Asked Kaden.

“What?” Ariana looked at Kaden with surprise. “No...not at all. You and I...” She gently reached out and took his hand. “What we had was special while we had it, but I just...needed something more. You didn’t do anything wrong that I promise you.”

Kaden patted her hand and took a long breath trying to calm himself he hated to think of that night when they broke up. “Look, I still cherish what we have between us I mean you was the first woman I made love to you and to me none of that was meaningless but I worry if that is what will happen to Freya and I that will need something more than I can give her. Like someone to better protect her from the animals out there like the one that harmed her.”

“Kaden you are a Captain in the marine corps, You don’t get to earn that without being a strong willed, dedicated person. I can think of no one better to protect Freya or anyone else from harm! I’d have no qualms asking for you if I needed protection from anything or anyone. Just have faith in yourself.” She smiled warmly. “If you weren’t a married man I’d happily reconsider our breakup, but as it is I’m happy for us to be good friends.”

Kaden couldn’t help but crack a slight smile. “Well, I am glad you would reconsider if things were different but Freya reminds me too much of you a bit...venturous in bed but definitely a mirror image of you.” He blinked a few times as a thought came to mind. “Although, I guess her last boyfriend before she met me was somewhat of a stiff like a bit obsessive and overbearing I don’t know she don’t talk about him much and I don’t force the matter she is friends with him still which I don’t mind but I never really met the guy.”

"You mean Andrew?" Ariana nodded. "I've heard the name and a there were a few rumours going around about him a few years ago but I don't tend to listen to rumours too much."

Kaden raised an eyebrow before leaning forward in his chair placing his palms together. “Is that his name? Eh, don’t matter,” He got to his feet and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher nearby. “I never got to ask how you been holding up as of late?”

“Me? I...I’m okay I guess.” She offered a smile. “To be honest, I’ve come to realise that I still have a way to go in accepting what happened to my baby’s twin. It’s amazing what some time in a hospital bed with a possibly life threatening illness will make you realise.” She shrugged her shoulders.

Kaden hadn’t realized how much Ariana went thru it saddened him from losing her husband and one of the twins must be hell on her but she seemed determined to muster on in life. “I had no idea, listen, if you need to talk I know I am not much of a counselor like you and Freya but you know I am around for you.” He told her.

"Thank you Kaden" Ariana nodded. "I've come to the conclusion that I..." She sighed. "I haven't really accepted the loss of my baby yet. I've concentrated on my work, focussed myself on everything else and have avoided what I really needed to do. I just...need some time to mourn I guess. I'm just not sure exactly how to do that right now."

Kaden hated to see Ariana sad and sat down next to her. “Hey, I am sorry I didn’t mean to...” He groaned in agony feeling a bit angry with himself. “Dammit, there I go again hurting people I care about first my wife now you.”

"Kaden please! Don't do that!!" Ariana took his hand and held it the way she always used to when they were together. "You haven't hurt me, I'm already hurting!" Tears came to her eyes. "I just need someone to be there for me and I don't have anyone to do that!!"

Kaden hated seeing her cry he wrapped his arm around her and held her close hoping it wouldn’t anger Freya later on. “If I have to I will be here for you.” He suggested.

Ariana had reached the point of emotionally tired and she couldn’t help but cry out her frustrations on Kaden’s shoulder. She eventually cried herself to a state of drowsiness as she started falling asleep on Kaden.

Kaden sighed but decided it best to take the poor girl and put her to bed at least before he left. Lifting her up in his arms taking note she was bit heavier than last time he remembered but obviously cause she was pregnant. The large muscled marine put her in bed and covered her up pausing to make a note apologizing forleaving but letting her know to give him and Freya a call if she needed to talk. He was about to leave when he paused and looked at the bludge holding Ariana’s unborn child. Feeling a bit nervous he looked around before approaching and knelt down beside it and leaned forward placing his hand on it wondering if the baby was aware. With a low tone as to not wake Ariana Kaden leaned towards the baby bump. “Hey, I don’t know if you can hear me or understand whatever I am saying but I want you to know you and your mom are going to be okay cause we are here to help. I have to admit I am nervous as hell with the fact I never really dealt with kids much but maybe your mom and you can help me out so that way I can maybe give you a friend to play with what do you say?” Kaden didn’t feel any sort of response at all from the baby and removed his hand. feeling like a complete idiot he got to his feet Kaden wondered what he was even thinking before looking at Ariana one last time and left her quarters quietly.

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