Overtime

Chapter 17 - Love, Law, and Money

He opened the door to his quarters. "Well, this is it."

"I've been in your quarters before."

"And as I recall, you were topless."

"I wasn't exactly trying to be cute or anything. My, er, scars and stuff, do they turn you on, or something?"

"Only in the sense that they are yours, Mystic." He slung his arm around her and they looked out the viewing portal. "May I make a suggestion?"

"By all means."

"I know you and I have been talking about, well, about us."

"We always talk about us, given half a chance."

"Agreed. But it's also, you know, we're at a stalemate. I suppose we could marry outside the law." He shrugged.

"No, no, wait! Rick said we should go forth and win. It's this! This is what he meant."

"Not Yi'Imspi and Caul? I had thought it was kind of a backhanded reference to them."

"No, it wasn't. I mean, I think it wasn't. Marty, we should fight this law."

"But when, and how? It's going to be a madhouse here, dealing with the fallout from Caul and, I am guessing Nechayev, and all of that. My boss'll be out and about and guess who'll be in charge of the Enterprise-E?"

"My favorite first officer." She turned to him and smiled. "My favorite person. My favorite and best friend, forever and ever. My one and only. My never-need-anyone-else. You, Straight Arrow."

"My favorite and best friend, always. My one and only. My one-before-all-others. My sweet and sour, funny and serious, smart and amazing. My Mystic." She put her hand on the side of his face and he put his hand over hers, holding it there. "Do you remember when you were eighteen and I was about twenty-five?"

"You better believe I do. We were both so patient, so much more patient than most young people would have been. I'll have you know, it stood me in really good stead at Canamar."

"Oh?" he pulled back just a touch, surprised. "How so?"

"I was able to bear it while I was in there. I knew there would eventually be an end to the ordeal. And I knew that you – you! You were working on my release. And I knew it was an act of, of love."

"Definitely. Then again, everything is with you." This time, he mirrored her gesture, touching her face lightly. Just barely on the edge of hearing, he said, "C'mere."

She came up close, closer, closest, and their lips softly met. "It's been so long," she whispered. His only response was to wrap his arms around her and move her closer, kissing her deeply.

It was several minutes before they finally came up for air. "I, man, I would have you stay and, and everything that that entails, but we're under a bit of a time crunch."

"Oh my God, I completely forgot! You have that effect on me, Marty."

"You gotta know what you do to me, Mystic." He glanced down for a second. "I mean, more than just the obvious physical reaction."

"Yeah, I get what you mean. Marty?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I know what we can do to fight the law."

"Oh? Keep in mind, like I said, I'm gonna be swamped soon."

"We'll record a message. I think we'll shove off soon, me and the team or at least what's left of us. We'll need to go to Daranaea. I won't keep Crita from her wedding."