Helpful Friends, Part 2: Returning the Favour

Posted on Sun Apr 21st, 2019 @ 3:58pm by Lieutenant Jane Sinclair MD, DVM & Lieutenant Gente López-Fonsi & Lieutenant Catriona MacGowen

2,097 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Mess Hall

Jane and Gente had just finished in her quarters. He had helped her install her new shower head and he was wearing her ‘Super Fancy’ shirt. Now, having made an agreement where Jane needed to help him talk to a woman or, she shuddered even thinking about it, needed to dye her hair blonde for a week, the two reached the mess hall.

A few heads turned to face them. Several faces smiled, and some turned away snickering. But others were friendlier.

“Pay no attention to the haters,” Jane said. “We had a saying on Vega. ‘Haters gonna hate.’ Come on, let’s find a table.”

Gente noticed a few eyes on him. He did his best to ignore the attention. He was here, in this shirt for science. And to win a bet against Janie. Winning the bet against Janie, would be worth a little reputation. As he went to sit down, his eyes saw the most beautiful woman, he had ever seen. Wow, he thought to himself, as he saw the blonde hair woman, in the mess hall.

Cat heard some murmurs and looked across the room and saw a couple come into the mess hall. She smiled as she saw what they were whispering about. It was the pink unicorn shirt he was wearing. It really didn’t phase her all that much because he was gorgeous. But he was with someone, for all she knew his girlfriend or wife. When she realized he was looking at her and caught her staring she dropped her eyes to her food.

Jane saw it all. She saw him looking at her, and her at him. She saw twinkles in two sets of eyes. She saw a way for two crewmembers, one of whom was her friend, to have a chance at happiness. Most importantly, she saw a way to not have to dye her hair.

She pulled Gente to the table where the blonde beauty sat. “Good evening!” she said in a friendly voice. “Is this seat taken?” She gestured to the available seat across from her.

Gente was speechless, it was taking a great deal of effort, to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. He was stiff as rock. What in the hell was Janie doing? Sabotaging him. You don' ask the prettiest girl on the ship if you can sit down with her, wearing a unicorn shirt. Gente, wanted to leave, but his body was stiff. How could his body betray him, and how could Janie. He just stood there, trying to force a smile out.

Cat looked up and wanted to be swallowed up and hide.He knew she was staring at him, there wasn’t much she could do about that. Courage, she told herself.

“No,” she said, wincing as the way her voice cracked, she was so nervous. She should really say more. How has she been on this ship and never noticed him before? She couldn’t stand it anymore, she wanted one more look at him. Even if he was already involved she could pretend for a few moments that he liked her.

This was too perfect. Both were nervous, too. Jane pulled out the chair and gestured for Gente to sit in it. “I’ve seen you on the bridge but we haven’t met yet. I’m Jane, Chief Medical Officer. This is my good friend Gente, Chief Engineer. He’s been helping me with a project so I told him I’d get him a drink as a thank-you. Can I go get one for you too?”

Friend? Did Jane just put him in the friend zone? She smiled. “Yes please, umm surprise me.” She looked over at Gente once more but he wasn’t looking at her this time. She sat, trying to think of something to say. “Ah nice shirt.” Then winced, she was so stuoid, draw attention to what everyone was talking about.”

"Thanks, it was a last minute addition." Gente said, not sure how to make this sound right. He agreed to wear it, to prove he could not pick up on the ladies with it on. "You like it?" Gente said, trying to get the elephant of a shirt off the topic of discussion. He would rather, talk about the lovely lady at tactical. This was not the way, he planned on meeting her. Typically he hid in engineering. He typically did not wear pink shirts with a unicorn on it.

Jane sauntered off to the bar. She looked back at the two awkward young people trying to talk to each other. But she wasn’t going to dye her hair. She would make sure the two of them hit it off. The bartender gave her three whiskey sours and she brought them back to the table. “Here you go. I need to go talk to Ensign Rosenbaum over there, so you two kids have fun.” She winked at them both and left them alone again.

“I do,” Cat thought for a moment. “You rock the color but I have to say the unicorn doesn’t seem to fit you. I mean, if you like it then that is what’s important. Don’t let anyone try and tell you what’s right for you.”

"It's not me. I got water on my other shirt. Janie let me borrow one of her shirts. I was installing a new shower head for her quarters." Gente said, feeling very insecure about the shirt.

“It just how’s what kind of man you are,” MacGowan replied. “Most men wouldn’t have worn it.” Cat paused, remembeing her new resolve to make friends and live life. “You and Jane...are really just friends?”

"Yes, were just friends. Janie likes the ladies. She would hit on you, not me. Surprised she's not hitting on you." Gente said, wondering to himself, why not? Janie, was a big flirt.

Jane, however, was not flirting with the pretty navigator. She was set to make sure Gente had a good time. If he struck out, she would try herself. But for now, she was making an arrangement with Rosenbaum, who a few moments earlier had run out of the lounge to retrieve something. The Ensign came back with a violin in hand. She slid between fellow crewmembers to join Jane. With a nod from the doctor, Victoria Rosenbaum began to play a soft melody.

“Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more”

"See she is flirting with that ensign girl over there." Gente said, as he kept his attention on Cat. "What about you, are you seeing anyone on this ship?" Gente asked her. He doubted anyone that attractive, could be single. Might as well get the yes I am seeing someone, phase of the conversation, out of the way.

“No,” Cat shook her head with a smile. “I am foot loose at the moment but I’m hopeful.” She hoped he took the hint, if not she was going to go for it.”

Jane smiled at her friend and this girl he was talking to. She hoped they would hit it off.

“Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more”

Cat looked away when he said nothing. Maybe he didn’t know the words to let her down but then why had he asked her if she was seeing someone. ”Why the question?” She wasn’t letting an opportunity go by. “Was it just conversation?”

"Cat got your tongue?" Gente asked. He was not sure, what to ask. The fact she did not answer his question, made him wonder. Did she have a boyfriend? He was very nervous, to be rejected again.

“I have no boyfriend or husband or anything else,” she looked straight at him, seeking courage she had never had before. “Are you interested?”

"I'm just curious, Janie told me to talk to a beautiful woman today." Gente said, taking the cowards way out of the question. He was throwing poor Janie under the bus. "She wants me to find a date, or she has to dye her hair blonde for a week." Gente said, deciding to be honest.

“So coming over here was over some bet?” Cat was embarrassed and disappointed at the same time. She stood. “Congratulations,” She said. Her voice was filled with sadness. Was it always going to be like this.”I need to go.”

"Who said you were a bet, I'm the bet." Gente said. Wondering where she was going. He probably blew his chance to with her, but she was to pretty, to be interested in a guy like him, anyways.

“What do you want more,” Cat asked, still standing. “A date or Jane blonde.” She didn’t even know why she was still standing there, but she was. Waiting for his answer.

As he considered his answer, he heard Jane’s lovely singing voice, encouraging him to find romance.

“I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me”

"If I am being honest, then both. Honestly." Gente said, realizing that he probably blew any chance with Cat. His tone was soft and sincere. His heart was pounding fast. He was nervous, an way out of comfort zone.

“I respect your honesty,” Cat said. “I would like that date as well. But I can’t help but think that there is more there than friendship on your part for Jane. Once you have that figured out, if you are still interested, let me know.”

"You miss understand me, or maybe I did. I do want to win my bet, seeing Janie as a blonde would be great. Payback for making me wear this shirt. Yet I would like to get to know you better as well." Gente said, laying out how he was feeling at this moment, would make a difference. His expectations were set low, but he was struggling to be courageous. This silly shirt was not helping his male pravado.

Cat smiled, thinking she may have misunderstood him. “Okay. I will go on a date with you.” She really liked him. “When?”

"I'm free tonight." Gente said, as he grinned from ear to ear. He was willing to loose his bet, for Cat. "Wanna go on walk?" Gente asked her? The mess hall was to much commotion, and he could tell that Cat was confused by his friendship with Janie.

“Yes.” She said with a smile.”To both tonight and the walk.” Cat couldn’t believe he chose her over His payback to Jane. It made her feel so good.

Gente reached out with his hand, "ready to go?" Gente asked, with a big grin on his face. He was shocked she said yes. He never expected that.

Jane saw smiles on both their faces. She saw Gente reaching out. Just take his hand, Cat, she pleaded in her head. She finished the song, hoping it would push Cat over the edge.

“I could not ask for more than the love you give me
'Cause it's all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more”

Cat took his hand, a smile on her face. “I am.” She said. “Let’s go!”

Gente being the gentleman he is, took her hand and put it around his arm, as they walked out of the mess hall. Next stop was aboretum, as the scene starts to fade.

Jane smiled widely and as the song ended, she turned to face Victoria Rosenbaum and hugged her close. Everyone was happy. Gente and Cat found each other. Jane didn’t have to go blonde. And she might have made a new friend herself. She took Victoria’s hand and brought her to the bar for a drink.

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