Clearing the air

Posted on Mon Apr 13th, 2020 @ 10:57am by Brigadier General Kaden Ross & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

1,665 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: Station Arboretum
Timeline: MD2 1210 hrs

{ON}

After a but of a restless night Ariana had decided to head over to the Starbase and visit the arboretum to try and clear her head. She wasn't sure how she was ever going to face Kaden again, she was even considering stepping back as his Counsellor and letting Rol take over. Maybe she was just too close to see things objectively but right now she felt unhappy and unsure what to do about it. Finding herself a quiet spot she sat down and enjoyed being amongst the trees.

"Mind if I join you?" Asked Kaden as he stood nearby resting his hands on his cane.

For once Ariana hadn’t sensed Kaden’s arrival, she was too wrapped up in her own emotions. She almost leapt out of her skin when Kaden spoke. “Sorry! I... didn’t sense you there.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Please...” She motioned for him to come closer.

Kaden nodded and took a seat next to her. "I assume you are still trying to process what happened during the session?" He asked.

Ariana nodded. “I’ve been going over and over it. I’ve never walked out on a counselling session before.”

Kaden groaned as he rested his face in his hands. "Look, I screwed up again I get it I shouldn't of blamed you for everything. It's just," He paused unsure if Ariana would understand or yet alone care to. "Oh forget it."

“No...please.” Ariana looked at Kaden. “Tell me. I want to understand what’s gone wrong between us.”

Kaden sighed trying to think on how to word it for his ex. "I uh, never told you but I joined Starfleet mostly for you. I mean yeah I had other ideas on my ideal life with you. But I was madly in love with you I kept my mouth shut and just did all this for us to stay together." He told her softly.

Ariana stood silent for a moment. “You did all this for me?” She was truly shocked by his admission. “I...didn’t know, I always thought you wanted to join Starfleet.”

"A small part of me did but I really just wanted to live a nice quiet life away from the family businesses. Just a nice cozy cabin out in the woods somewhere." Kaden replied.

“So why are you here? You could have left at any point after we split up.” She looked at Kaden curiously. “You didn’t have Frey to start with or did you decide that being a marine wasn’t so bad after all?”

Kaden looked at Ariana shaking his head. "No, I was on the verge of quitting had the forms all filled out. But I waited somehow I hoped you come back but...you never did seemed you found a better man forgot all about me. So I planned to leave after I got back from the beach the one where I met Freya. Call it strange but she is the reason I am still here and now a General." He told her.

“Of course she is. The two of you have a relationship that other people only dream of.” Ariana smiled. “I’ve seen how much the two of you love each other Kaden and it makes me happy knowing that you’re happy with Freya.”

"Still don't change the fact I still regret things between us fell apart." Kaden said before sitting up. "You said some pretty hurtful things that night."

“We both did” Her smile faded. “I’m sorry okay? I said things in the heat of an argument that I’d bottled up for a while. Are you still holding it against me?”

"No, it's just...sometimes those words still linger time to time." Kaden frowned looking at his reflection in the water. "Just like how my dad and you had a better relationship than I did with him."

“Kaden I...” Ariana paused. “I don’t know what to say. Your father loves you that much I know, but he didn’t and still doesn’t have much of a way of showing you that does he?”

Kaden shrugged his shoulders. "I am not sure to be honest we tend to stay a bit distant from one another. He didn't exactly help much when he last spoke to, Freya, maybe he thought he was trying to help. I...I...don't know..." He shook his head and rubbed his forehead in agony just trying to think about it.

“I’m sorry Kaden.” Ariana offered a brief smile. “So can we start over?”

Kaden turned to face Ariana. "After my rant you sure you want to?" He asked.

Ariana smiled. “Of course I do. You’re still my friend, I hope.”

Kaden sat back down next to her taking her hand into his. "Of course you are! I don't want that to change are you kidding?" He smiled. "You are still my counselor, right?"

Ariana nodded. “I never said I wasn’t. I only suggested Rol if I wasn’t available for an appointment. Speaking of which I’d still like for both of us to talk with Rol, just to sort out lingering feelings, if you’re okay with that?”

Kaden didn't like the idea of talking to someone he never met about any lingering issues but he didn't want to start a fight. "Do...we have to?" He asked nervously.

“I won’t force it if you don’t want to” Ariana offered a friendly smile.

Kaden wasn't too keen on the idea of talking to someone he never met about his issues and therefore was rather hesitant of the idea. But he also was feeling if he didn't do it Ariana may get upset over it and whole new fight would begin. "Do you feel it is important to?" He asked.

"I think it would help us to finally settle old feelings." She looked at Kaden. "I told you how I feel Kaden, that day in Sickbay. I think we both need closure."

Sighing Kaden lowered his head feeling rather defeated much as he wanted to debate his uncertainty hashing out matters with Rol. He just nodded and rubbed the palms of his hands together. "Alright, I will try for you."

Ariana smiled. “Thank you my friend.” She offered a teary smile and a gentle kiss on the cheek as thanks.

Kaden patted Ariana on the back as they sat in silence looking out into the pond. "Corrigan, is pregnant isn't she?" He asked out of the blue suddenly.

Ariana gave Kaden a surprised look, she hadn’t been expecting that question. “I don’t know if I should answer that, Carolyn would kill me!” She grinned.

Kaden turned to Ariana. "Look I know I am bit slow at times but you forget I am very observant having been around you and Freya didn't take long to add it all up." He raised an eyebrow. "From your reaction it only confirms my suspicion."

Ariana smiled. “Then I don’t need to confirm or deny do I. Anyway, might I suggest you go and get yourself back to your pregnant wife. Go and enjoy some time with her while you’ve got the time available.”

"There is one thing though I have to ask you...What is the deal with her and Hades? Is he the father? This something I should be concerned about?" Kaden asked.

“Most certainly not!” Ariana frowned. “They’re colleagues and close friends, nothing more than that. Don’t ever repeat that especially in front of Carolyn or Hades okay?”

"Noted." Kaden said before leaning back. "I wasn't planning on involving myself just noticed they been acting weird is all."

Ariana nodded. “They’re not the only ones. Kaden I...I’m not entirely the same woman you knew anymore. The section 31 part of me, She was a...separate personality. I had no choice but to blend us, we were both a part of me and I needed her strength. Before she could have controlled me, now I’m just me but with her strengths inside.” She offered a smile. “I hope I’m making sense! There’s still a darkness inside me but now I control it, instead of it controlling me. Just...don’t tell Hades or Carolyn, as far as they’re concerned that darkness is all gone.”

Kaden held up a index finger. "About that, not going to go all postal and kill innocent people are you?" He asked.

Ariana grinned. “Why? don’t you think I’d make a good villain?” She shook her head. “Of course not! The woman who helped me, Adari she died recently. I owe it to Hades and to Adari to stay strong and I want to make Hades and Carolyn proud of me. With my dad gone Hades is the closest thing I have to a father here and I won’t let him down.

"What about my dad? He loves you like you are one of his." Kaden said abeit a bit saddened.

“I know he does” Ariana smiled. “I was just talking about here with us that’s all.”

Kaden nodding his head turned back to the pond. "Well, either case I won't tell anyone what we talked about and Corrigan won't know you confirmed my theory she is expecting. Although, eventually I find out sooner or later kind of hard to hide a baby bump." He said.

“Exactly!” Ariana grinned. “Anyway I need to get back, I have to fit lunch in before I get back to work. Thank you for clearing the air with me Kaden. I’ll talk to Rol and I’ll call you.”

"Looking forward to it..." Kaden replied although deep down he was already hating the idea.

“I know you’re not really. But thank you all the same!” Ariana smiled. “I’ll see you then.” With that she headed on her way.

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