Dream to Decide

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2024 @ 4:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Jason Frankley & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

2,544 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well

The hum of conversation filled the cargo bay, which had been transformed into a temporary wedding venue. Twinkling lights swayed gently above, casting a soft, warm glow over the worn metal walls, giving the ship an air of intimacy and warmth that it rarely held. Adrianna Reggimi stood at the edge of the celebration, her gaze scanning the crew who were laughing, drinking, and dancing. She felt detached, an outsider in a space she was meant to infiltrate, her Starfleet mission gnawing at the back of her mind.

But then she saw him.

Vance Adams stood across the room, his tall frame relaxed, yet commanding. His dark eyes met hers, and for a moment, time seemed to stretch between them, the weight of their unspoken words pressing down on her chest. Adrianna knew she was playing a dangerous game. She was undercover on his smuggling ship, her objective clear—gather intelligence, report to Starfleet, and bring him down. But nothing was ever simple when it came to Vance.

His gaze never left her as he crossed the room, his movements smooth and deliberate. There was an intensity to him that she couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that her feelings were a result of the mission, nothing more. But that lie was wearing thin.

“Care for a dance?” His voice, low and husky, cut through the hum of the crowd, reaching her like a secret.

Adrianna hesitated, her breath catching in her throat. She should say no. Keep her distance. Maintain the barriers she’d so carefully constructed between her role as an officer and the woman who had become entangled with the man she was supposed to bring to justice.

But when she looked into his eyes, the world outside of this moment seemed to blur.

Without a word, she placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers. His grip was firm, but there was a tenderness in the way he led her to the centre of the makeshift dance floor. The music around them slowed, and the swaying of the other couples became a distant backdrop as she allowed herself to be drawn into Vance’s orbit.

His hand slid to the small of her back, pulling her close. Their bodies moved in time with the gentle rhythm of the music, but Adrianna could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface. Every touch, every brush of their skin, felt like a question—one that neither of them was ready to answer.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Vance murmured, his lips close to her ear, the sound sending a shiver down her spine.

“Just… thinking,” Adrianna replied, her voice softer than she intended.

“What about?” His breath was warm against her cheek, his tone teasing but laced with something more.

Adrianna bit her lip, trying to find the words. How could she possibly explain the storm inside her—the way she was falling for him, against her better judgement? How could she tell him that every time they were together, it became harder to remember why she was here, why she couldn’t let herself love him?

“I—” she started, but her voice faltered.

Vance’s hand tightened slightly on her waist, drawing her even closer. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest, the steady rhythm of his breathing in contrast to her own racing heart. His eyes darkened as they bore into hers, and in that moment, the tension between them was unbearable.

He tilted his head, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. Adrianna’s breath hitched, her mind screaming at her to pull away, to remember what was at stake. But her body betrayed her, leaning into him, drawn to the magnetic pull she couldn’t resist. His eyes flicked down to her lips, and she knew—knew—that he was going to kiss her.

And for a moment, she wanted nothing more.

“Adrianna...” His voice was rough, filled with something between a plea and a command.

Her lips parted, a breath away from surrendering to the inevitable, when a sudden crash jolted her back to reality. The sharp sound of glasses hitting the floor shattered the moment, and the world came rushing back in all at once.

Adrianna stepped back abruptly, her face flushed, her heart still pounding in her chest. Vance blinked, his hand lingering on her waist for a moment longer before he let go, his expression unreadable.

“Guess we’re both distracted,” he said, his voice quieter now, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Adrianna forced a smile in return, but inside, she was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She needed to keep her distance, but every time Vance was near, the walls she had built between them crumbled a little more.

She turned away from him, trying to collect herself, but the moment felt like a knot tightening around her heart. The pull between them was undeniable, but with it came the painful reminder of the mission, the duty she couldn’t abandon. She was Starfleet. She had a job to do. But the line between loyalty to her orders and the loyalty she felt to her heart was becoming increasingly blurred.

The scene began to shift as she moved through the crowded room, the laughter and music fading into the background. Suddenly, the soft, glowing lights of the wedding disappeared, replaced by something more familiar.

She blinked, and found herself in a different setting—the dim lighting of Starfleet quarters, the walls adorned with familiar insignia and the hum of the ship’s engines gently vibrating through the floor. The transition was seamless, almost as if her mind was slipping between realities.

And there he was. Jason Frankley.

His presence was like a balm, soothing the storm inside her. He stood by her side, his expression soft and full of warmth. Jason had been the constant, the man who had been there when everything else felt uncertain. He was a fellow officer, someone she respected, admired, and over time, had come to care for deeply.

“Adrianna,” Jason said softly, his voice pulling her back to the present, or whatever version of it this was.

She looked up at him, her heart tightening. She was still in the dream, but the tension that had consumed her moments before with Vance was now replaced by something different. Something calmer, safer. Jason took her hand, his fingers gently brushing against hers, and in that simple touch, she felt grounded.

Without a word, Jason led her to the centre of the room, just as Vance had done before. But this was different. The air between them was not charged with the same fire—it was something gentler, a steady warmth that wrapped around her like a blanket.

As they began to sway to the quiet rhythm of the music, Adrianna found herself relaxing, her head resting against Jason’s chest. His arms around her were protective, strong in a way that didn’t challenge her independence but supported it. Jason was the kind of man who understood her need for autonomy, who never tried to control or claim her. He was safe.

But was safety what she truly wanted?

“Are you okay?” Jason’s voice cut through the quiet, his concern evident.

Adrianna lifted her head, meeting his eyes. They were filled with that same steady kindness that had drawn her to him in the first place. There was no danger here, no games, no complications. Jason loved her, and she knew that. But the question that burned in her mind was whether she could love him back in the way he deserved.

“I’m fine,” she lied, her voice soft.

Jason’s brow furrowed, as if he could sense the inner conflict she was battling. He always seemed to know when something was wrong, even when she tried to hide it.

“You don’t have to do this alone, you know,” he said gently, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand. “Whatever it is you’re going through… I’m here.”

Adrianna’s heart ached at his words. How could she explain what was happening inside her—the way she felt torn between two worlds, two men? One was the steady, dependable presence of Jason, the man who offered her stability and a future she could count on. The other was Vance, a man who ignited something wild and dangerous inside her, a passion that threatened to consume her whole, built on friendship but also a lie of sorts.

And then, just as before, the scene began to shift.

Jason’s voice became distant, the warmth of his embrace fading as the dream slipped away. Adrianna felt herself falling back into the in-between space, where nothing was clear and everything was tangled.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring at the ceiling of her Starfleet quarters, the dim light casting long shadows across the room. She was awake now, but the weight of the dream still lingered, heavy in her chest.

Two men. Two lives. Two futures.

Adrianna sat up slowly, her mind still reeling from the vividness of the dream. She pressed a hand to her heart, feeling it race beneath her skin. How was she supposed to choose between them? Jason, the man who made her feel safe, who loved her without question. And Vance, the man who set her world on fire, who challenged her in ways she had never known before.

Adrianna knew she couldn’t keep dreaming forever. The time would come when she would have to choose.

But tonight, as the echoes of the dream still clung to her, she wasn’t ready.

Not yet.

As she slipped back into slumber, the dream seemed to continue.

The twinkling lights and soft hum of the cargo bay returned, but this time, the air felt charged with a different kind of energy. Adrianna stood in the familiar space, her heart racing as she took in her surroundings. She was back on the ship, back in that moment where everything felt suspended between reality and dream.

And there, standing in front of her, was Vance. But he was different now—wearing the Starfleet uniform she had last seen him in before he shipped out. The sight of him like this, so composed, yet with a quiet vulnerability in his eyes, sent a jolt of emotion through her. It was as if this dream were catching up with reality, weaving the past and the present together in a way that made her feel off-balance.

“Vance,” she breathed, her voice barely audible, caught between the dream and the reality it mirrored. She had seen him like this before—his mind fractured, only remembering pieces of their shared past. But here, in this dream, he looked at her as if he remembered everything. And that terrified her.

He stepped forward, his boots barely making a sound on the metal floor, yet his presence filled the space between them. His eyes searched hers, as if trying to decide how much to say, how much to let her in on. But there was no hesitation in his movements—just the calm certainty of a man who knew exactly what he wanted.

“You’re still fighting this,” Vance said softly, his voice a mixture of regret and understanding. “Fighting us.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. He reached out, taking her hand in his, and the warmth of his touch sent a shock through her. It felt so real, so achingly familiar, as if the months that had passed between them hadn’t really existed. As if they had always been standing here, in this moment.

“You don’t have to fight anymore, Adrianna,” he whispered, his voice low but steady. “I’ve already lost you once. I won’t make you wait for me again.”

Her chest tightened at his words, a painful knot forming in her throat. She had spent so long convincing herself that moving on was the only way forward, that letting go of him was the only way she could survive this. But now, standing here with him, the thought of letting go seemed impossible.

“I—” She struggled to find her voice, her mind torn between the past and the future, between Vance and Jason. “I don’t know how to let go of you.”

Vance’s grip tightened slightly, but his eyes softened, a sad smile playing at the edges of his lips. “You don’t have to forget me. You never could, anyway.”

The weight of his words sank into her, and for the first time, she allowed herself to really feel the truth of it. No matter how far apart they were, no matter how many memories he had lost, she would never forget him. He was part of her, woven into the fabric of who she was.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.

His expression softened even more, a flicker of something vulnerable passing over his features. He stepped closer, his free hand brushing against her cheek, the touch so tender it nearly broke her.

“You won’t hurt me,” he said gently. “But you need to move forward. You deserve to be happy, Adrianna.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked them away, hating the way the truth of his words echoed in her heart. She had been fighting for so long, holding on to something that wasn’t quite there anymore. And now, here he was, giving her the permission to let go.

But then, just as her heart began to break all over again, Vance leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. His breath mingled with hers, his lips just a whisper away, and she could feel the warmth of his body, the steady beat of his heart.

“But know this,” he said, his voice a deep, resonant murmur. “You’re mine, Adrianna. No matter where you go, no matter who you’re with... You will always be mine.”

The intensity of his words sent a shiver down her spine, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to close her eyes, to drink in the sensation of being so close to him, of feeling his presence surround her. It was intoxicating, overwhelming, and she knew that in some way, he was right. No matter what happened next, no matter who she chose, a part of her would always belong to him.

Vance pulled back slightly, his dark eyes locking onto hers, filled with an unspoken promise that stretched beyond time, beyond the boundaries of this dream.

“I will be yours in every life,” he whispered, his voice full of certainty.

And with that, the world around them began to fade, the lights dimming, the space dissolving into the quiet hum of her Starfleet quarters. The dream slipped away, but the echo of his words lingered, reverberating in her mind.

Adrianna opened her eyes, the warmth of his touch still lingering on her skin, and knew that the truth of the dream would stay with her long after she had woken up.

 

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