The Dreamer
Title: “The Dreamer”
Author: Aura-z
Author’s e-mail: [email protected]
Date: 18.11.03
Archive: MEGA
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Phlox/Cutler
Disclaimer: All belongs to Paramount, no money is made from these words.
Summary: Phlox and Liz enjoy each other’s company.
Author’s notes: This turned out to be a lot shorter than I originally intended, but I
really struggled to write what little is here. In memory of Kellie Waymire.
Love MoJo.
“I want to
be eternal.”
“Why?”
“Because
life is like art.
My
curiosity compels me to want to witness each passing moment in history and see
the evolution of the human race. I have a need to see the beauty come to bare
that I believe we are capable of. Or maybe not, whatever the case might be.”
She paused,
her eyes shining at him before continuing.
“I want to
endlessly wander through the gallery of life embracing each moment trapped in
its frame, waiting to be savoured and devoured.
Life is
like art. And I have a hunger for it.”
She smiled
at Phlox, who sat with a forkful of pasta halfway to his mouth. He looked at
her intently as a rogue piece of fusilli dropped back onto his plate.
“Very
poetic crewman, but eternity is a long time, no one should wish to live
forever.”
She sighed
wistfully and watched the fork finally reach his mouth.
“But don’t
you want to see how it all turns out? How the story ends?”
He chuckled
and gestured at her with his fork. “You are a dreamer crewman and that’s no bad
thing. But trust me, you wouldn’t like eternity. You should keep your mind on
where you are at the moment. That is what counts.”
She looked
sheepishly at him. “I always value the present doctor, don’t you worry.” She
took the fork from his hand and started helping herself to a mouthful of his
dinner.
He leant
back in his chair. “I see that art is not the only thing you have a hunger
for.”
“You don’t
mind do you?”
“Not at
all, I’m just more used to being the perpetrator when it comes to food theft.”
“Hmmm, I
have noticed that sub-commander T’pol seems to regularly lose her lunch in your
direction.”
“Well I am
her doctor, I have only her health in mind and we don’t want her to get too
porky now do we?”
Liz
laughed, putting her hand to her mouth to stop the pasta from flying out. Phlox
leaned closer.
“I came
down to breakfast the other morning to find that she had two bits of bacon on
her plate as well as her usual Vulcan fare.”
Liz
frowned, “But she doesn’t eat bacon?”
“I know,
bless her. She had anticipated my arrival and placed them there for me.”
They both
burst out laughing causing a few heads to turn in their direction, the mess
hall was only half full and they had found a secluded table in the corner.
When she had
settled, Liz dabbed at her mouth with the napkin before sliding Phlox’s mug of
coffee across the table and taking a sip. Phlox looked at her astutely.
“Is there
anything else of mine you would like crewman? You have only to ask.”
She grinned
at him over the top of the mug.
“Not now
Phlox, please. And besides I thought we agreed to be just good friends?”
“Did we? I
forget.” His expression was one of innocence.
Her eyes
shone with mischief “Lets just see what happens. That’s what we agreed.”
“How the
story ends?”
She still
held the coffee mug in her left hand as she placed her right hand over his on
the table. “You are such a flirt doctor. I can see I’m going to have to keep an
eye on you.”
“Good. I
need an eye kept on me.” He retrieved the mug from her hand and put it to his
lips, draining the last of the coffee into his mouth before she could protest.
She looked
thoughtful for a moment. “Phlox, do you want to hang out tonight?”
He put the
mug down and looked at her confused. “I thought we were anyway. It’s movie
night.”
She leant
her elbows on the table and folded her hands in front of her “I meant, after
the movie.” she said quietly.
She could
see that he was trying to look serious, but the corners of his mouth kept
twitching up. She couldn’t help herself and grinned at him.
“Well?” she
asked.
He looked
away for a moment, sweeping his gaze around the mess hall. Liz could see a
slight blush appearing on his neck. When he looked back at her his smile had
grown into full bloom.
“I will be
a perfect gentleman, and walk you back to your quarters after the movie
Elizabeth, then we will see what happens.”
“Teaser.”
She pouted at him. “Hmmm, I hope it’s a romantic movie something with lots of
gushy love scenes and lip action, that’s what I’m in the mood for.”
Phlox
raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m afraid that Mr Tucker has planned a horror
classic for us tonight, as I recall he used the terms ‘blood n’ guts’ and
‘Haunted houses galore’ when describing it to me.”
Liz looked
crestfallen for a moment and then quickly perked up.
“Not to
worry, I don’t suppose I’ll be paying it too much attention anyway.” She
decided to go the whole hog, and batted her eyelashes at him.
“I see” he
replied, considering this. “Yes I expect you will be to busy pinching my
popcorn to notice what’s happening on the screen.”
“I fully
intend to be pinching something doctor.” She mused.
His blush
spread from his neck to his face.
“Now who’s
the flirt Ms Cutler?”
Later,
after the movie…
Liz walked
with her arm linked in Phlox’s as they slowly ambled their way back to her
room, idly chatting about the movie.
“Do all
humans believe in ghosts?” asked Phlox, genuinely curious.
“No only
some of us. My mother said she saw a ghost once at my auntie’s house.”
“Did you
believe her?”
“Yes.”
Phlox was
silent for a moment.
“What do
you believe ghosts are?” he asked enjoying the way she was leaning into him.
She
shrugged “Trapped souls, unable or unwilling to pass to the other side. Do you
think I’m being silly?”
“Not at
all, it is not something that we have been able to disprove to the satisfaction
of many on Denobula, so lots of people still hold with the belief of an after
life.”
“Good.” She
replied “I like to think that there is more to us than just flesh and bones,
that some part of us will always live on keeping the memories alive for
eternity. How about you? Do you believe in an eternal soul?”
He looked
at her, his expression earnest. “The doctor in me wants to say no. But deep
down, deep inside, yes I do believe in a soul.” His face brightened as she
smiled at him. “There is certainly more to you than meets the eye Elizabeth,”
he concluded.
They
stopped outside her quarters, and she opened the door before looking at him
hopefully.
“Would you
like to come in?”
He nodded
and followed her across the threshold. The door slid firmly shut behind them.
~ the end
~