Been Too Long

Posted on Tue Jul 28th, 2026 @ 5:12pm by Lieutenant JG Deezell Vox & Lieutenant JG Jaxon Ruveer

1,401 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 121 - "Where There's A Section, There's A Way"
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: 6 months ago.

Jaxon practically engulfed her as they ran from the airlock to each other. Their assignment had just ended, and he couldn’t wait to put his arms around her. He gave her a deep, passionate, bear‑like hug as the two of them held each other there. He could smell her sweet perfume.

“I’ve missed you, baby.”

Deezell melted into his arms, her forehead resting against his chest as if that was the only place in the quadrant she belonged. The moment she felt his embrace, the tension she’d been carrying since her assignment began simply dissolved.

“I missed you more than you know,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady. She leaned back just enough to look up at him, her hands still curled into the fabric of his uniform.

She brushed her thumb along his jaw, studying him with that familiar mix of affection and quiet relief.

“But you’re here now,” she added, a small smile tugging at her lips. “And I’m not letting you out of my sight for a while.”

Jax smiled as he stared back into her eyes. As she hugged him, he leaned in for a long, passionate kiss. All the frustrations of being apart — the moments of uncertainty — poured through his lips as they held each other as tightly as possible. Then he suddenly felt a little silly and pulled back briefly.

“I hope I didn’t hurt the babies?” Jax asked nervously. He had been so excited to see her that he hadn’t thought about potential consequences — though he didn’t realize it was far too early in the pregnancy for a hug or kiss to cause harm.

“Babies? I don’t know yet if we’re having more than one. I’m only about six weeks pregnant. We’ll need a more detailed scan to know for sure. But no — you couldn’t hurt anything.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around him again.

“Okay, you got me there. I think twins would be a handful — one would be perfect — but if we have twins, that’s fine too.” Jaxon grinned as he placed his hands on her belly. “We’re going to make one happy family. I know it.”

She sighed softly. “I’m so relieved that you’re okay with this. It certainly wasn’t planned, but we will be a happy family. I’m sure of it.” She placed her hand over his, resting on her belly.

Jaxon grinned wider. As he gently rubbed her stomach, he whispered into her ear, “Don’t start something you don’t want to finish.” He said it playfully, testing the waters. He was trying to be respectful, but deep down he felt a powerful mix of passion and love for her.

Deezell’s breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she tilted her head so her cheek brushed his, a quiet shiver running through her at the warmth of his whisper.

“Oh, Jaxon…” Her voice was soft, but steady — the kind of confidence that came from knowing exactly who she was and exactly how much power she held in moments like this. “You think I don’t know what I’m doing?”

Her hand slid up to rest over his — not stopping him, just anchoring him. A reminder that she felt every ounce of that restrained fire in him, and she wasn’t afraid of it.

“If I start something,” she murmured, her lips close enough that he could feel the shape of the words, “it’s because I intend to see it through. The only question is… my place or yours?”

“Yours — it’s closest,” Jaxon said as he practically dragged her hand down the corridor, rushing toward the turbolift. The two of them were like rabbits, very unbecoming of officers, kissing as they entered the lift. Jaxon told the computer the deck number, and as they practically trampled each other getting into her quarters, the scene faded.

---

Some time later…

Both of them were curled up in bed, sweat still cooling on their skin as they tried to catch their breath. He pulled her close.

“I hope it’s a long time before either of us gets another assignment,” Jaxon said as he stroked Dee’s damp hair. She had an incredible glow about her.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight for a while. I’ll do what I have to do to stay grounded on the station. The pregnancy might be a tactical advantage,” she replied.

“Engineers are kind of like flyboys — they always have to stay with their engines. How do I know you’re not going to go chasing one of those starship warp cores?” Jaxon teased. He knew she was sincere, but he couldn’t resist poking a little fun. And the stereotype applied to him too — he was the flyboy he was talking about. Helmsmen loved their ships, and engineers loved their engines.

Damn, she thought. He’s got me there.
“I love working on the station, but I have to admit… there’s something about a vibrant, pulsing warp drive that’s just so absorbing.”

She smiled.

“That’s why you take the Admiral up on her offer to be her chief engineer every time?” Jaxon asked with a grin. “Maybe one of these times I can go with you. Put in a good word for me with the Admiral.” He knew he’d likely stay with the Saratoga, but it didn’t hurt to dream.

“Absolutely. I will. I have a good relationship with the Admiral. I’m not sure I’ll take her up on her offers now that we’re expecting. But risk is part of our jobs. We knew that when we applied to the Academy.” She stared at him, studying his handsome face.

“I could stare into those beautiful eyes all night,” Jaxon said warmly, stroking her hair. “I think we should consider moving in together.”

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot recently. I should warn you though — I’m not the tidiest person. Should we apply for new quarters, or just move into either mine or yours?”

“Your room looks lived‑in — that’s not a bad thing,” Jaxon said with a grin. He knew engineers always had a bit of clutter. They needed it to keep their tools and manuals close.

“‘Lived in,’” she echoed with a smile. “Well, that’s one way to describe it. My mother once called it ‘organised chaos.’ I pretty much know where everything is. Out of the two of our quarters, I think mine is slightly bigger — but only just.”

“Yes, your quarters are definitely bigger than mine. But we can look and see if joint quarters would be even larger. Maybe we could get two rooms. One could be for your engineering projects until the baby is born. Then it’ll have to become a nursery,” Jaxon said, grinning. He wondered how the engineer in her would reorganise her controlled chaos and baby‑proof it.

“That sounds like a good idea. There’s one small issue though — transitioning from an engineering project room to a nursery might be tricky. Will I be able to have a room that’s both, or will I have to create a nursery and move my projects to my secondary office next to Cargo Bay 12?”

She lay back, pondering it. As she did, the sheet slid down, barely covering her chest.

Jaxon noticed the sheet slipping. His mind immediately went into the gutter again — not entirely his fault, just biology and attraction. He tried to remember what they were talking about, but his thoughts were clearly elsewhere. With a nervous smile, he said, “I’m sorry… what?”

She turned to face him, the sheet slipping further. She noticed exactly where his gaze had gone.

“Your mind clearly isn’t on this topic,” she said with a grin. She slid closer, pressing her body against his. “Let’s just enjoy this, and we can talk about quarters tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry — you distracted me. Not that I mind. I love when you distract me. And yes, we can talk about it tomorrow. I’m pretty sure we’ll get a two‑bedroom upgrade with the baby on the way,” Jaxon said as he pulled her close, and the scene faded again.

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