Pings coming from the console, comm badge, or something else wasn’t anything new. This one however had a distinctive ringtone and her stomach started to twist in apprehension. Making the effort, she actually sat down and opened the message. Simple and to the point. Arin knew better that it was anything but that simple. I’m back.

A hundred things went through her mind, heart, and soul simultaneously. That the relationship would change was inevitable even if nothing had happened. Very little in life was static. How was the question?

She started constructing a reply. “Yay. I would love to see you. Name the place.”

A few minutes passed before a reply came. This one had been sent from sickbay. My quarters off-limits. Lounge? Or yours. Not the holodeck. You decide.

Taking the time to look at the message. Her quarters were off-limits. Time to pivot, Arin thought, then replied Let’s start in my quarters and we can always move to the lounge or arboretum. Maybe something is in bloom?

The next reply was only three letters. OMW. Another popped up after a moment. Taking care of a thing on the way. Call it ten minutes.

That gave Arin time to change a few things. She swapped fresh roses into the vase in the living room. Filling a kettle she set its temperature. A few beefsteak tomatoes were just ripe, so she picked them adding contrast to the small kitchenette island. She closed the door to the spare room just as much for the alcohol as the scattering engine parts around the room for the project that kept her mind and hands busy.

Brushing out her hair, she changed into black striped overall shorts and a burgundy vee neck t-shirt as the chime rang.

Answering the door, she nervously stood to the side.

Lavender, or someone who looked almost exactly like her stood outside, the harsh lighting of the corridor illuminating the changes in her. She seemed together, more calm and there were warm, pink tones in her makeup which was a lot less severe than Arin was used to. A smile crept onto Lavender’s face and she took a couple of steps inside and wrapped her arms around Arin, laying her head on the taller woman’s shoulder and ignoring everything and everyone else, including the open door behind her that wouldn’t close until the pair moved further into the room.

Arin dropped her jaw. “Oh my God, you look amazing.” Not caring that the door was open, she enfolded Lavender in her arms, hugging her tightly. After Lavender tried to pull away, Arin let her get about arm’s length away before pulling her back in for a few more seconds. Lavender chuckled. “Thanks.”

Leading her away for the door finally, it closed. “You really know how to scare someone, ya know.” She commented with smirk. “Let’s sit. Tea, coffee?”

“No, thank you,” Lavender replied, having just had one with the Captain. She sat as instructed and looked around the room. It was familiar, cosy. There were memories there. She looked back to Arin. Damn she was pretty.

“How have you been?” She asked. Boy, this was awkward.

“On pins and needles if I am honest.” Arin said, plainly. “My concern was always you, Lavender.” Something wasn’t being said. “If you are going to do something, just pull the bandaid, don’t torture me. That isn’t your style.”

Lavender smile-snorted. It wasn’t, Arin was right.

“I’m not doing shit,” Lavender said. “No difficult conversations, no feeling sorry for myself, no skipping meals and definitely no alcohol. Nothing except gaining a little weight. A little. So I will allow you to feed me. My relationship with food is messed up, apparently. I can go into it but it’s long and boring. I don’t want to use words like disorder and alcohol and dependency, I want to use words like snuggle, delicious, and undress. M’kay?”

Arin let out a huge sigh of relief. Without a word, she led Lavender to the overstuffed couch. She placed a strawberry between her lips, the red fruit contrasting against the burgundy lipgloss. Around the fruit she managed, to offer, “Like this?” Her eyes glossed over as she gazed at the familiar and new woman before her.

The edges of Lavender’s mouth rose and in a moment she was grinning. Her eyes sparkled with joy, but in her lips was the slightest purse of mischief.

“I thought more like this,” she said, undoing her uniform jacket. It, her shirt and her vest were quickly discarded to the floor.

“It looks far better in the new location, I must say,” Arin smirked in reply. A mischievous smile came over her. Pulling Lavender in tight. She guided her lover’s hand to the top snap of the overalls. Lavenders’ fingers rested on Arin’s chest as she started to work the fastenings.

“I missed these. I mean you,” Lavender grinned.

Arin watched the greed in her lover’s face. Taking Lavender’s hand she led her to the bedroom. “You aren’t the only one.” Barely able to speak as she kissed Lavender hard, “So glad you’re back. Your front is nice too.”

“Nice…?” Lavender grinned and pushed Arin over on to her back as she sat on the bed.

Later

Lavender considered what time it might be. She knew what time she’d arrived at Arin’s, but that was a while ago. She didn’t want to move from her happy place under the warm sheets snuggled up to the pilot, but she knew she had to. She had to eat something. It didn’t have to be too much, but Lavender was determined to do things right from now on. She wasn’t fourteen and on the streets anymore. But this would give rise to an inevitable conversation and it was one she was worried to have. She knew Arin loved her, or at least the old her, but would she love the updated Lavender? The one who was less of a rebel? Less of a wise-cracker? Less of a complete mess… her head rose from Arin’s shoulder and she scooped a handful of black hair from in front of her eyes.

“I need to eat something, Arin,” Lavender said looking at her partner with slight worry as amber eyes darted toward the movement. “I promised to keep to a meal schedule and I don’t wanna slip on day one.” Lavender sighed internally.

Fuck it.

“I’m not… anorexic or anything… but I could be, if I’m not careful… or… well that’s what the counsellor said. It doesn’t have to be much but, well, something balanced and healthy.”

Lavender heard the words she had just said.

“Yes it’s really me, before you ask,” she added with a slight smile.

Blinking the sleep away, she yawned as she stretched exhuberantly. “Okay, okay, I’m up.” Arin said smacking Lavender on the hip. She retrieved a dark blue plush robe from the back of the bathroom door, and grabbed a  hunter green oversized pullover. It was long on Arin, so on Lavender, it would be nearly a dress.

Padding out to the kitchenette, she retrieved a few items from the static cabinet. A nice piece of gravlax, and fresh light roast coffee beans.  Pulling out a cutting board and sharp knife. “Can I make you my souschef or a moment and slice some tomatoes? Some lower fat cream cheese on a bagel, with a fresh tomato slice and some salt, or did you have something else in mind?”

Lavender had retrieved that which was to go under the pullover dress from the floor and donned both, organising her hair after in a convenient mirror. She noted with some satisfaction that while, clearly, her lipstick application was resting in peace from having been purposefully removed earlier with a wipe, the rest of her makeup was doing okay.

“Sounds great,” she replied with enthusiasm. “Don’t make it low fat on my account though. I can have some saturated fat, probably do me good to be honest. Just in half? She asked as she moved to the kitchenette and inspected the tomatoes.

Arin nodded. “Oh,  I get it. You need some fat for flavor too.” Looking over, Arin suggested, “Um. Slice them like you are putting one in a burger. It’s going to be the topper to the sandwich. Plus the Omega3’s in the salmon are good for us. It is why I store a few kilos when I can get it. Some things the replicator doesn’t get quite right.  “Computer, a hundred grams of Nuefchatel cheese, two pairs of toasted muffins, fork-split, and four pieces of crispy bacon.”  Looking over she grimaced. “It sounded so good right that second.”

“It does!” Lavender agreed and sliced the tomatoes burger-style with a deftness of hand brought by being a surgeon.

Spreading the cream cheese over the hot muffins, Arin added a couple of thin slices to the top and carefully moved the tomatoes to the top of the sandwich. A ramekin of kosher salt finished the plates, sprinkling a bit on the tomato. “Now kiss the chef,” Arin said, looking happy at the well-finished large plate between them. Lavender regarded the plate too. It looked delicious.

“Alright,” she replied and stood on tip-toes, placing tomatoey hands on Arin’s cheeks and gave her a long, slow kiss.

Reaching over, Arin grabbed a small dish towel, took a corner, and rat-tailed Lavender’s left leg lightly before wiping her own face, smirking as she did so. Then pulled Lavender into a hug. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I’d say clean living, but I was brought up to believe that God struck liars with lightning,” Arin added. Taking one of the loaded muffins, she bit into the food. The rush of fresh tomato, mingling with the salty bacon, smooth cream cheese, and toasted bagel hit in waves.  “Damn, that doesn’t disappoint.”