Pock's Office and Personal Quarters

Where Pock can be found when she's working in her office, or when she's on her own time in her quarters.

Pock sat the pen down, sighing tiredly.

A bit of time had passed since the incident on world, and Pock had taken the time to meditate on what she had done. She was still adamant that her decision had been the best for them. She was absolutely positive that she had not made a mistake. Even then, she wondered if perhaps she had been wrong in how she had handled Jim. Perhaps she had been too forceful. Perhaps he would be angry.

There was no perhaps in that situation: Jim would be furious, and she knew it.

With a deep breath, Pock stood, making her way to the replicator to make herself a cup of tea. She had suddenly developed a headache, and it didn't seem like it was going anywhere any time soon.

Jim knocked on her office door. He was still upset, but he had taken Bones' advice and taken some time to calm down before going to confront his partner. Didn't mean he wasn't still angry as all hell though.

He was going into this as her partner, not her Captain. Though if she wanted the situation to be professional, he would try.

"Come in," Pock said, taking a seat at her desk. She sat her tea cup down on a coaster as she resumed her attentions on the PADD before her. A complex equation of numbers spun past her. It was probably Rodriguez again asking about that damn spectrometer.

Jim entered, doing his best to keep the anger and hurt off his face. He knew there had to be a better way that the way Pock had chosen. One that didn't involve her throwing herself head first into danger. She was his goddamned First Officer, after all. The one he trusted above all others to run his ship if something happened to him.

Of course, he had his personal reasons, but dammit, they were legitimate!

Pock looked up from her PADD, her face unreadable. There was no smile or frown. Her lips were a thin, relaxed line, perfectly emotionless just like she had always learned. Her eyes were clinical. So was her tone as she spoke.

"Captain," she said. "I am pleased to see that you have recovered fully."

Jim knew that look. That unreadable, inscrutable look. He didn't want an argument, but more than likely they were going to have one. And obviously, they were going the professional route. Great.

"Commander," he said, voice as even and clinical as her own. He frowned at her. "May I ask why you disobeyed my order?" he asked. There had to have been another way...

"I disobeyed your order so that I might save your life," she said evenly. Her eyes met his in thinly-cloaked defiance, daring him to push her further than she wanted to go. Pock sensed the tension on the horizon. "I deemed you emotionally compromised and unwilling to accept the reality of our situation, and thus I acted accordingly. If you deem my actions unacceptable, Captain, please file a formal complaint stating that you believe my judgment to have been in error or, if you feel strongly, an act of insubordination, and I would be happy to explain my reasonings before a court of officers. This is my right."

The subtext was clear: I am right. I know I am right, and you know I am right, and if you really think I was wrong, then I dare you to prove it.

He wanted to recoil at those words. Emotionally compromised. She had thought he was emotionally compromised. His eyes hardened. So, was this it? Had she finally come to her senses and realized that he was probably the worst mistake she had ever made? And when he had told her he loved her, she had recognized that fact?

He didn't know. He had screwed up, letting his feelings known.

Jim also heard every word she was saying, loud and clear. "And what about your own life, Commander?" he asked, voice hard and as sharp as the swords Sulu favored. "Your life is something that can just be thrown aside? No, I am still positive there was another way. This ship needs you, Commander." I need you. But I fucked that up. "The creature would have left to return to it's den well before dark. We could have waited 'til then."

It was a weak argument and he knew it.

Pock shook her head. "I would contest your opinion, Captain. We did not have that kind of time. You would not have survived nightfall due to the conditions of the planet after sundown." She took a sip of tea, clearing her head. She refused to allow herself to be compromised at this point in time. She absolutely, positively refused.

"My life is important," Pock said. "But not as important as the life of my Captain. It is my sworn duty to protect you at all costs."

Jim frowned, heart shattering into a million tiny pieces. He wondered why she hadn't said they didn't belong together yet. He hoped he managed to keep it off his face. "I believe you did not hear what I said," he stated, crossing his arms, almost protectively over his chest.

Yeah, bullshit, he thought. He knew that he fucked up as Captain more than he would like to admit, and honestly, he felt that Pock was the one who really kept the ship running as smoothly as she did. I'm not that important. "And now there, I disagree with you, Commander. If anything, my duty is to protect those under my command, and last I checked, that included you."

Would she just end things, so he could go back to his quarters, and nurse a broken heart?

Pock shook her head. "Have you studied command structure, Captain? It is listed among my duties as Executive officer to be willing to defend, and if the need should arise, die for my Captain. You are the most important life aboard this ship. You are the leader. There can be nothing without you."

She sighed. "Jim," she said, to designate that she was speaking on a personal level now. "I will always do everything in my power to ensure your continued survival. You are important enough to warrant that."

Jim's arms tightened over his chest and anger flared in his eyes. Was she really implying that he didn't know how to do his job? "Why yes, Commander, I did study command structure. And just because that's what it says in the rulebook, doesn't make it right."

His jaw set, refusing to acknowledge the fact that she was attempting to make this personal. "I believe this conversation is over, Commander," he said, stepping back towards the door. "We obviously have a differing opinion of the situation we were in, and it will most likely remain unresolved for the time being." He exited, as fast as he could without appearing to flee.

It was time to hide and nurse his wounds and wait for her to end things.

"Jim, please - "

Pock's protest fell on a silent, empty room as she watched the door slide shut behind her departed captain and lover. A frustrated breath escaped her lips, and her eyes squeezed shut, all energy seeping from her bones and leaving her a hollow, empty mass. The events of the day had sapped all the life out of her.

Or maybe it had been her exchange with Jim that had managed that. The discourse had been less than chivalrous, and Pock had not intended such a thing. She did not like being at odds with her partner.

She could only hope that perhaps he would see reason.

Or maybe, she quipped mentally, it is I who should seek clarity.

((NEW THREAD))

After serving a shift on the Bridge, Jim and Pock made their way back to Pock's quarters, where Pock whipped up two cups of tea and set up their chessboard. She handed him his cup, far sweeter than her own, and took a sip from hers. Bitter, almost bland, just as it was on Vulcan. She sat it down on the coaster and faced her partner.

"White moves first," she said playfully. "That is you, Captain. The advantage would suit you better than me."

Jim stood back and watched his partner move gracefully around her room. He smiled as he walked over to her as she spoke. "I won't argue that," he said, setting the tea on his coaster. He wrapped his arms around her and smile down at her. "Hi, kitten," he murmured, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.

Pock chuckled, kissing him back as her own hands placed themselves comfortably against Jim's shoulders. "Hello to you too, ashayam," she purred playfully, looking up at him from under her dark eyelashes. "You are particularly affectionate this evening."

He smiled. "I think I have a decent reason to be affectionate," Jim murmured, hands trailing up and down her back. His arms tightened around her, as he picked her up and spun her around, a grin on his face. "I love you," he said, "so much. I really do."

Pock laughed as Jim spun her. When he sat her down, a wide smile was spread across her face, though she tried her hardest to quell it. Her eyes were bright with joy and love, though. "I love you too," she said sincerely. "More than you can imagine."

His grin was bright and sweet. "I can imagine quite a bit," he said, quoting an old movie, knowing she probably wouldn't get the reference, but that was okay. He pressed a kiss to her lips. His hand reached up for her ponytail and slid the band out. He wrapped it around his wrist and buried his hand in her hair.

God, he loved her, and the fact that he could touch her and play with her hair whenever he really wanted.

Pock bristled as Jim freed her hair, but quickly melted, allowing the touch. They were in love. There was no reason why he could do see her hair unbound. Besides, she liked the way it felt when he buried his fingers in there, when he pulled gently at the coarse black strands.

She kissed him back with fervor, pulling his closer.

Jim smiled as she melted into him. He pulled his head back slightly to give her a grin, real and genuine and slightly crooked. "This okay?" he murmured. Even after a few months of dating, he still wasn't sure what her boundries were on her hair.

Pock nodded, her eyes warm as she offered him her consent. "Yes," she said softly. "It is. You may continue if you wish." She wanted him to. The more she got used to the feeling of him playing with her hair, the more she enjoyed the sensations.

Jim's grin widened. He continued running he hand through her hair. "Okay then," he murmured, leaning back down, to press a kiss back to her lips. "I love you," he whispered against her lips. "I think that our tea's getting cold, kitten," he said. "But I find I don't really care."

"I love you too," Pock repeated back to him, her eyes warm and laced with a fond affection. At the mention of their tea, she chuckled. "How wasteful, Captain," she chided playfully. "Had I known we would be pursuing other endeavors besides chess, I would have waited to make the tea."