| Phase 33 It was late and they were now heading back to the �Ethos� headquarters. The ship had been taken care of, Billy had said, so now it was time to report what had been discovered. Sigurd was unwillingly dozing off in the lounge; he really should finish the day�s documentation, but he was just so tired. It was one in the morning, way past his usual bedtime, but he couldn�t just leave this work unfinished . . . � Sig?� He looked over to the bottom of the stairs where she stood, looking totally awake. � What are you doing up? Why aren�t you in bed?� � I had a nightmare,� she replied. � Why aren�t you in bed?� � I have work to do.� She walked over to the couch he sat on and sat beside him. � This? Sig, I can do this. It�ll get my mind off the dream. Go to bed.� � But---� � Where should I put them once I�m through?� � My room, but---� � But what?� � Do you feel all right? You expended a lot of energy today.� � I�m fine. Just a little shaky every now and then, but not something that breakfast won�t cure. Go to bed.� � I�m not going anywhere. You�re going to mess up, I know you will. I�m going to stay right here.� *>*<* I could tell he wasn�t going to make it the length of time I�d need. It�d be four in the morning at least before all this was done. � Okay.� He gave me a suspicious look, but relaxed against the back of the couch and settled in to make sure I didn�t screw everything up. I pulled the first couple of papers from the pile down onto the clipboard and then sat back and began to read in an unhurried fashion. Within five minutes, Sig slid down so that his head was resting on my shoulder. I looked at him to make sure he was asleep, then began working in earnest, being careful to get everything perfect. Once that was done, I glanced at my watch. Three-thirty. Good. Finished sooner than I expected. I piled the papers on the clipboard, then turned to Sig. Picking him up (it wasn�t that hard; he must�ve lost some weight), I had the clipboard rise and land on his lap. From there I went down to his room. As before, I mentally moved the clipboard away to the floor. I put Sig in bed, removed his boots, jacket, and eyepatch and set them in a neat pile on the floor, then covered him up and gave his forehead a quick kiss. I went for the papers and sat on the floor with them, dividing them into the proper groups. The only place to put them was on the dresser, but that was right under the vent and if the environmental system turned on, the papers would just go everywhere. So I went to my room and grabbed four of my models. I put the wyrm on the weapons pile, the death scythe on the supplies pile, the golem on the Gear repairs, and the rankar dragon on the ship�s repairs. Rather satisfied with my work, I drew the sheets back up over Sig�s shoulder and went down to Bart�s room and crawled into the bed. � He was awake, wasn�t he?� � He was trying to do the documents by himself.� � Damn it, I knew he�d do that. Why couldn�t he just do his half and leave the rest for me to do tomorrow?� � Because he knew you were worried about me and he didn�t want you to have to worry about the papers.� � I should have just taken my half after I put you in bed.� � He would�ve gotten mad.� � Well that�s his problem. We agreed to share the paperwork.� � Don�t get too upset. He was just trying to help.� � Yeah, I know . . . But he shouldn�t try to help if it keeps him up until three in the morning!� � It�s the thought that counts.� � I know, I know. Hey, what did you do with the documents?� � I finished them and then put Sig in bed.� � Kris!� � What? You don�t need me on the bridge tomorrow.� �. . .� � Oh, come on. I had a nightmare anyhow. It kept me from thinking about it. Don�t worry, I double-checked everything.� � . . . Fine. Did you turn Sig�s alarm off?� � !! No, I didn�t!� I rolled out of bed and ran for the door. � Don�t wake him!� I dashed down to Sig�s room and tip-toed in, putting the lights on dim. Levex lifted his head from where he slept on the pillow just above Sig. What do you need, Lady Krista? I have to turn his alarm off. I did so and headed back out of the room. Don�t wake him. He�s been up much longer than he should�ve been. All right. I returned to Bart�s room and slid under the covers again. � There.� � It�s off?� � Yep. And I told Levex not to wake him up.� � Perfect.� I fell asleep almost right away and when I woke, Bart had already gotten up and was dressing for the day. When I heard him grab his jacket, it being the last thing (besides his eyepatch) he put on, I rolled over to look at him. � Were you gonna leave me in here?� � As a matter of fact, I was going to do just that. Go back to sleep. The alarm hasn�t even gone off yet.� � Then what are you doing up?� � I�m going to make sure Sig�s still asleep, then make sure that kid�s up. He said he wanted to get up early so he could report before dintime.� � Then what?� � If there�s time, I�m coming back to bed.� I snorted in amusement. � You might as well just stay up, in that case.� � . . . Maybe I should. Anyway,�--he came over and initiated a long, passionate kiss--� go back to sleep.� I attempted to catch my breath as he left. Once I had, I snuggled under the covers and went back to sleep. This time, the alarm woke me. I got up and dressed, putting the black-spotted silver suit on and trading my black shorts for my pants. Then I went for breakfast, stopping by Sig�s room. He was still asleep, thankfully, though Levex had apparently left to get food for himself. I decided to bring Sig his breakfast as he had done for Bart and I, and when I did, I left a note with it. I went to the bridge next and stopped in my usual flank guard on Bart�s blind side. He stiffened and tried to look at me without giving himself away, but it wasn�t working. He finally spun. � Don�t stand there!� He straightened and blinked as his cheeks reddened. � Oh, Kris. Sorry.� I put the back of my hand against my forehead and said in a wimpy voice, � I don�t know how I take this from you! It�s so cruel and hateful of you!� He laughed. � Yeah, well, call me paranoid, but---� � Paranoid.� � ---I don�t like being watched.� I shrugged. � Me neither. Gives me the creeps.� � Is Sig asleep still?� � What makes you think I checked?� � Get real, Kris. You pull that mother-hen routine on him almost as much as you do to me.� I crossed my arms. I�m not a mother-hen. � He�s still sleeping.� *>*<* Sigurd woke slowly and frowned. He could tell it was late. He could just feel it. He rolled over and saw that his alarm had been shut off. It was currently nine-thirty in the morning. He was so late. Taking a deep breath to help him wake up, he caught the scent of food and peered over the edge of the bed. There was a box with note stuck to it. He rubbed his eyes and focused on the note. Morning! Breakfast is in the box! Don�t worry about oversleeping, I turned your alarm off. And don�t get mad; you did it to me, so I thought I�d return the favor. Since I know you�re thinking about the documents, I finis- hed them last night and separated them into piles and put them on your dresser. All you have to do is file them. Well . . . I double- checked them, but I may have missed something. Feel free to look them over again if you like, I don�t want to mess everything up. Hugs �n Kisses, Kris P.S. You have absolutely no reason to rush to the bridge. Just take your time, Speedy. Sigurd smiled and folded the note up, sticking it in the drawer of his nightstand. He�d keep it for later and then show it to her and embarrass her. He got up and looked through each of the documents. Surprisingly enough, everything was in perfect order. Clipping each stack of paper, he set them on his bed and dressed, then ate his breakfast at a leisurely pace. Levex sat beside him, his tail tip twitching in thought as he watched his human eat. Sigurd, tired of being stared at by a poor, starving (overfed) waif, finally tossed him some egg. The gray dragon snatched it from the air and swallowed it whole. � I�m not giving you any more,� Sigurd told him. � You�ve had breakfast. I watched you leave.� Levex humphed and went down to lay at the foot of the bed. You�re grouchy about food. � Well it�s mine!� he snapped. � Do I ask for your food? No . . . Besides, you�re three pounds overweight. You�re not going to be able to fly if you don�t quit pigging out so much. And how do you expect to chase Zavi down if you can�t fly?� The dragon began to huff angrily. I�m not chasing after Zavi! Sigurd rolled his eyes. � Please. You�re as inconspicuous as Bartholomew is when he�s around Kris.� What about you?! Levex demanded. Are you trying to say that you�ve never made googly eyes at Lady Analore?! � �Googly eyes�?! Dragon, if you ever want to reproduce you�ll shut up right now while you�re still intact!� *>*<* I turned as the door opened and smiled at Sig. � Good morning. Sleep well?� � Yes, I did. Thank you,�--he kissed my cheek--� for everything.� � What about me?� Bart asked. Sig looked at him. � You want a kiss too?� Bart drew back slowly, his upper lip curling in surprised disgust. � I�ll pass. But that wasn�t what I was talking about.� � Oh?� � Yeah. What did I tell you about trying to do all the documentation yourself? I thought we agreed to share that responsibility.� Sig shrugged. � When you didn�t come to dinner, I figured you were staying with Kris and would be worried enough about her.� I turned to Bart. � Told you.� Bart spun away and ignored us. As I said way before, he hates being wrong. I snickered along with Sig and then snuck up behind him and grabbed his ribs. He yelped so loud that it drew the attention of the entire bridge and glared at me. � Kris!� I stuck my tongue out at him. � What? Ticklish?� A looks of stark horror crossed his face and he held his hands up. � . . . N-N- No, no not at all.� He laughed weakly. I grinned devilishly. � Why are you lying?� � L-Lying? Ha . . . I�m not lying.� � Pay for your lies!� I ordered as I lunged for him. He tried to shove me away, but I dodged and grabbed his ribs again. He yelped once more, louder than the first time. I ducked around behind him and up under his jacket. With my back to his, I stuck my head out of the collar and my arms through the jacket�s sleeves. I had to stand on my tip-toes to keep from sliding out, but that wasn�t hard to do--as long as he didn�t move. <--Phase 32 Phase 34--> |