Promises of Memories

Posted on Tue Oct 29th, 2024 @ 1:32pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,259 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Out in Space
Timeline: Years ago

ON:

The ship was in warp, heading back to Freecloud. The ship was silent aside from its natural ambience of a subtle hum as it glided through space. The crew were all asleep. All but two people.

It had been a scary day, they had almost lost a crewmate. Thankfully, quick thinking on Vance's part had the man survive, but he did have amnesia for a good few hours. It had put the crew on edge as they had desperately tried to help him remember who he was. Vance had been smart and had a call out through to the crewmate's mother. Soon triggered memories, if for nothing else than to stop her telling embarrassing stories In front of the crew.

Adrianna went to go have a wander around the ship, trying to soothe herself enough to sleep. When she saw Vance sitting in the captain's chair, alone, she quietly joined him, sitting on the floor next to his feet, resting her head on his knee, "Can't sleep either, Amore mio?"

Vance gently ran his fingers through her hair. "No. I keep thinking of Felix. Just like that he'd forgotten everything. That blank stare...I keep thinking what if it was me."

"Me too," she nodded, relaxing at his touch. The pair had become increasingly closer over the years of being undercover. She had been warned and reprimanded by her handler, but she had ignored him, straying into the darkness as she fell in love, "I wouldn't even know where to begin. But-- imagine getting your memories back and having to convince everyone that you're you again."

"Well you could do something... come up with a tell. If you got your memories back you would remember the tell right?"

Adrianna thought on it for a moment before looking up at him. "You'd need to make a promise with someone and it would have to be so specific though," she chuckled softly, "and you would have to count on that person not forgetting the tells."

"Well you could always tattoo them but...that defeats the purpose."

Adrianna chuckled, "you've already tattooed me twice-- tally marks. Let's not make it a third and equally, you-- amore mio-- are running out of blank skin. So unless you tattoo your face--" she shook her head and rested her hand on his knee, and her chin on top of it, gazing up into his eyes. "I suppose you'd need to find someone you trusted, someone you loved and who you knew would always love you even if you lost your memories. You'd need to make the agreement with them. So, first thing-- find them."

He sighed. "True...but here is the thing if you lost your memories wouldn't it hurt the one that loved you and wouldn't it be selfish to ask them to wait for you?"

"Never said that you'd ask them to wait for you," she replied, "but love doesn't die easily. Either way, it wouldn't be your decision to make. It would be theirs. If they hold out for hope, then so be it."

He sighed. "I guess you're right."

She took a breath, "I think I'd have to find my mother. I feel like I wouldn't need to make any promises to anyone. She'd take one look at me and say: 'quella è la mia figlia idiota'," she mimicked her mother's voice before translating for him, "that's my idiot daughter."

He laughed. "I see. Well how about we make a promise to one another. If either of us misplace our marbles?"

There was a twinge of guilt in the pit of Adrianna's stomach, but she hid it well. She was lying to him about who she was, but she had plans to tell him. "Ah, Amore mio, you love me?" It was as if she didn't know. She was evidently teasing him softly, "so, first promise: we find each other."

"I like that one. Agreed." He thought..."What's another thing we can do?"

She shrugged, "do something crazy when we see each other. Something unexpected and dramatic. I would steal your ship, since I know the codes and do donuts around Saturn's rings until you stop me because you know that I'd get sick after four rotations."

He laughed. "Dramatic but perhaps something doable...walking around in a chicken costume?"

"Madonna," she chuckled, glad to see him brighten up a bit, "if that happens put me in an asylum. How about, I kidnap you and take you to Colony 3?"

He smiled. "Okay you kidnap I do the chicken dance." He gave a nod. "Well now that's two so for number three how about...something truly romantic..."

She smiled, "what are you thinking, amore mio?" She rested her head back down on Vance's lap, looking up at him.

He thought a moment. "Computer re-rout the ship. Heading Betazed."

The computer informed him that it would add two hours to their journey. "Execute new heading."

He looked down at Adrianna. "We're going to Betazed. There is a cave there where we can leave a section of our hearts. I was going to use it for a surprise but... How about this." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace with a heart split in half. He'd had both their names engraved on it. "We'll leave one half in the cave of the Goddess of love and you keep half. If you lost your memories you come back to the cave and present me with the whole heart. If I lost my memories I'd come here get the half of the heart we leave and then take it to you to complete the heart half you have."

Her gaze turned into one of love. Adrianna couldn't deny that she had fallen hard for him. Sure, they were best friends who flirted. They'd never kissed, never slept together, but they were madly in love. She was silent for a moment, "you are an old romantic, amore mio. I don't deserve someone like you in my life."

"You're right my dear, you don't. You deserve better. But as long as I have you I will be a happy man." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Now let's see if we can get some sleep until we reach Betazed."

Adrianna braced herself hoping that he would kiss her lips, but smiled and looked down, slightly disappointed that he hadn't. She stood up and held out her hand to him, "come on, I'll walk you back to your quarters just to make sure that you actually leave the captain chair."

He laughed. "Am I that predictable?"

"Si," she chuckled, "so predictable, I may even sleep at your door to ensure that you cannot leave."

He laughed. "I'd ask you to join me but my mother would smack me to Klingon Space and back if she knew I didn't court you right." He grinned. "Although we'll be married soon so..."

"Promises, promises," Adrianna rolled her eyes playfully. She paused at his door, "sweet dreams, Amore mio." She kissed his cheek softly, letting her lips linger there for a moment before pulling away and heading for her own quarters.

Vance smiled as he watched her go. Touching his cheek he turned and headed into his quarters. Yup, he was not too proud to admit that he was in love.

Adrianna paused at her door, hesitating going to bed. Her fingers traced her lips softly, as if remembering the taste and feel of his cheek on them. Adrianna took a breath, muttering to herself, "Baciami, Reggimi, Adams."

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