Sorting out old feelings

Posted on Thu Apr 30th, 2020 @ 12:12pm by Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Brigadier General Kaden Ross & Lieutenant JG Ilan Rol

2,218 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: Rol’s Office
Timeline: MD3 0715 hrs

{ON}

Having cleared it with Kaden for them to talk to Rol together Ariana had made her way to Rol’s Office to speak with him and see if he was free to speak with herself and Kaden. As she arrived outside his office door she paused before pressing the chime.

"Come in please." Rol called out as he shut off his screen. He had a mess on his hands with Hades and he was tired. He'd been working around the clock.

Walking into the office Ariana offered a smile. “Forgive me for interrupting your peace and quiet Rol, I have a favour to ask.” She paused for a moment. “I was wondering if you’d be able to help sort out a personal situation between myself and Kaden Ross?”

He smiled, "Never an interruption. Of course I would be delighted to help. Tell me a little about what's going on," he said standing and walking to the replicator. "Would you like something?"

“I would kill for a hot chocolate please!” Ariana grinned. “Call it my latest craving!”

He smiled, "Of course." He ordered a hot chocolate for her and a drink for himself. Returning back he placed one in front of her. "What's happening?"

“Actually I was hoping you’d be able to hold a session for Kaden Ross and myself. Things between us have been...somewhat strained of late. We have sat and talked but I need to do this properly and you are the one I trust. Call it ex-couples Counselling I guess!”

He smiled. "Well okay then. I love a challenge. Tell me about the background of the relationship."

“Okay. I’ve known Kaden for a lot of years, we practically grew up together. We eventually fell in love, we got as far as getting engaged but Kaden’s fear of being a father and my want to be a mother didn’t work for us. I’ll admit I was young and I was a pain in the ass!” She grinned. “Things between us have recently come to a head, Kaden has some anger towards me and...well it’s strained our friendship to near breaking point. We sat and talked earlier but I think it needs more than just one conversation to put us fully right again.”

"Understandable. Alright. When would you like to begin?"

“Would now be too soon? Or at least as soon as I can get Kaden here.” Ariana waited to see what Rol would say.

He smiled, "Not a problem. I have time."

Ariana smiled too and tapped her comm badge. =/\= General Ross please report to Lieutenant Rol’s Office. =/\=

=/\= "Do I have to really do this? I mean already having second thoughts about this." =/\= Kaden replied.

Ariana sighed as she looked at Rol. =/\= At least give it a go. =/\=

=/\= "Give it a go?" =/\= Kaden sounded somewhat upset. =/\= "Can we just sort this out ourselves? I mean why drag this Rol guy into this?" =/\= There was a moment of silence on Kaden's end. =/\= "Fine, I will be right there..." =/\=

=/\= Thank you Kaden =/\= She offered Rol a smile as they waited for Kaden to arrive.

A few minutes later the doors to the office opened but nobody came in. For what seemed like a eternity Kaden his face red and sweaty slowly peeked inside he saw Ariana which was a welcome sight. But moment he saw Rol he disappeared and the doors closed. In a nervous panic Kaden started hobbling away clearly in a screw this mode as he basically went to find somewhere to hide.

Ariana quickly stood up and looked at Rol. “I’ll be right back” Heading out she followed after Kaden. “Kaden...wait!”

Kaden could hear Ariana chase him as he stopped and leaned up against a bulkhead he was trembling in fear.

“Hey...Rol isn’t a monster you know.” Ariana smiled. “He’s going to help us Kaden, we just have to talk about us. I trust Rol and you can too. Please come back?”

"I...I don't know if I can do this." Kaden was still trembling he wanted to go hide really badly.

“You can do this General. You’ve faced worse on the battlefield, I would hold your hand but imagine how it’ll look if we’re seen.” She grinned.

~ Rol’s Office, a few minutes later ~

Returning to the office with Kaden in toe Ariana took a seat, offering a reassuring hand to Kaden now they were in private again. “I think we’re ready Rol.”

"Excellent, how about we start with some drinks," he said smiling. "What can I get or the two of you?"

“A hot chocolate for me please” Ariana offered a guilty smile. “I’ll make up for it with something healthy later!”

Kaden didn't want a drink how could he even think of drinking when was a nervous wreck? His body was trembling uncontrollably as his need to just leave and go back into the arms of his Freya was well on his mind.

Rol studied Kaden. "Alright Hot chocolate for Ariana, I think i'll join you there and Kaden how about we start with water." He got the drinks and distributed them. Once seated he allowed the silence to sit a moment while he took a sip. "Alright. Tell me about what brought you both here and what you hope to accomplish."

Kaden pushed the water away he wasn't thirsty he wanted to leave really badly this was nothing like a battlefield what was Ariana even talking about? He grabbed his cane his knuckles turning white as he just wanted to leave sure Rol seemed like a nice guy but Kaden didn't know him or could even trust him. He was doing his best to stay calm and keep his composure but it was extremely hard.

Ariana could see Kaden was wanting to bolt so she started off. “For me...I want to clear the air between us, to get to a point where we’re not losing our temper with each other.” She looked at Kaden.

Kaden looked at Ariana then Rol he wanted to say something but he couldn't he just sat there for a moment. "I...I..."

“Might I suggest...that we ask Freya here? She knows all about us and she was Kaden’s Counsellor for a while.” She offered a smile as she looked at Kaden. “It may help if you have Freya here for support.”

Kaden finally snapped out of his fear induced trance. "No it's fine, look I feel bad okay I didn't mean to go off on you I just wish I had given you a baby as easily as I did Freya." He got to his feet. "Yes I joined Starfleet so we could be together despite how I really felt. But what upsets me the most is you said some hurtful things to me that night and after all these years it still eats me up inside."

Ariana looked at Rol then back at Kaden. “I thought we talked this through?” She looked back at Rol. “We met in the arboretum this morning, had a talk about all this and I thought we’d cleared at least some of the air but it seems not.”

"Alright. Nobody panic. Let's call Freya in and let's all talk. This won't all be fixed in a day but let's open a dialogue."

Kaden lifted up both his index fingers wanting both Rol and Ariana to pipe down. "I am not finished." He said calmly. "Stacie should of been mine not Cameron's I should of been a better lover to you." Walking over to Ariana he took her hand into his as Kaden got on one knee. "I should of given you the world to keep you."

Ariana was, for once, speechless. She sat looking at Kaden like a deer into headlights before she finally snapped out of it. “No Kaden...you were afraid and I was pushy, it was my fault not yours.”

Kaden got to his feet waving her off. "No...no...no, You were right my constant worrying and depression drove you away and it's a miracle it hasn't drove Freya to do the same. But I can't help that mostly I am trying I really am but you know the things went thru hell you seen it first hand many times." He sat back down on the couch next to Ariana. "I am sorry it destroyed our relationship but I know you feel this is on verge to destroying our friendship that we had since we was kids and I will be devastated if it does."

“I don’t want to lose your friendship Kaden.” Ariana smiled and looked at Rol. “When Kaden was in Sickbay after he was wounded, I went to see him. I told him how I feel, I still love him but we both have our own families now and I wouldn’t change that.”

"She is right about that Freya means the world to me and I certainly wouldn't ever change that." Kaden smiled thinking about Freya among other things about her.

Rol stayed silent letting the two speak. "I have a rather uncomfortable question to ask. It seems like you both care about one another a lot. But is there still romantic love there?"

Ariana looked at Rol then at Kaden, then back at Rol. “I...care but I don’t think...” She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

"Yes." Kaden confessed. "I want Ariana back more than ever it angers me at times she is with another man having his children when they should be mine."

“You’re a married man Kaden!” Ariana looked at Kaden in surprise. “What would poor Freya say to that if she was here?”

Kaden turned to Ariana putting his finger on her lips. "Stop, I wasn't finished." He turned back to Rol. "Despite how I feel my loyalties are to my Freya and I will never betray them or her till death do I part."

Ariana smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

Kaden then stood up grabbing his cane. "Well, I think I have done plenty to make myself look like a complete moron...I will go ahead and see myself out." He started hobbling to the door clearly embarrassed and angry with himself.

Ariana turned towards Kaden. “Kaden...Thank you.”

"For what?" Kaden asked stopping near the door.

“For coming and for talking” Ariana smiled.

Kaden turned to face both Ariana and Rol better. "Ariana, there is one thing I wish you do. Stop denying how you really feel and just tell both me and Rol the truth." He said sternly.

Ariana was taken by surprise at that, she looked at Kaden then back at Rol before taking a deep breath. “Alright...” There was an almost painful silence for a few more seconds. “I...I do love you. Very much so but there can never be anything between us.”

Kaden snapped his fingers as if he was having on of his AH-HA moments. "I KNEW it you do still have romantic feelings for me." He looked at Rol. "Damn fine work you do here, Mr. Rol."

"Ohhh I'm not done," He said. "So what you two have said gets me to the root of a problem that you two seem to be having."

“So...where do we go from here?” Ariana looked at Rol hoping he’d have some easy suggestions.

"Kaden loves you, you love Kaden. Both of you have referred to your spouses almost as if they were obligations. So the question is can you ignore that. Can you live your lives for obligation or will you choose love, a love that will upset what you have now. It is a choice you are being given. This is your fork in the road."

Kaden placed his hands on his hips as brow creased clearly not pleased with Rol's statement. "Excuse me? But are you implying I don't love my Freya? I will have you know I will never leave her EVER!" In a angered tone.

“We...I know that Kaden.” Ariana drew his attention. “This maybe our fork in the road, as Rol puts it but we both know where our hearts truly lie. I love Cameron and I’m certainly not going to change that.”

"But Kaden hasn't said that he loves Freya. He's just said he won't ever leave her. You both need to decided if you love one another more then your partners. If so then the choice is clear. If not then you need to bring them into this conversation so that there are no secrets."

“I will speak to Cameron as soon as I can” Ariana looked at Rol. “I’d rather do it in private than bring him in here.”

Kaden crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh you bet your ass I am telling my wife about this too." He was rather angry right now.

"Alright then. Just keep communicating. You will be fine. You are both strong people and I know you can get through this. You have it within you. Focus on the love and respect."

“We Will, Thank you Rol” Ariana offered a warm smile.

Kaden merely grunted opting to not say anything.

{OFF}

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