New Orders (closed for the_gladiator)

[wideeyedone]

Darby whimpered when he nibbled her ear. And then his hand caressed her backside and she shivered. She tried to find a pressure point at his clavicle. But her hands slid down his chest.

"Please...." She whispered, but she wasn't sure what she was asking for.

 

[The_gladiator]

"Please what?" he asked in her ear. He tried to make it look like he was pushing her off but he really wasn't. She felt too good against him.

He wondered how long they could get away with this before they were fucking, or spotted. Her hands felt so wonderful against him.

 

[wideeyedone]

She bit her lip and whimpered.

"I need you." She whispered. Her fingers traced a familiar scar on his chest. "I haven't.... not since you. I am so damned hungry for it."

She closed her eyes, and hid her face against his warm skin.

 

[The_gladiator]

He listened to her words, getting a thrill at them. his hands ran up and down her back, "Come to me tonight. Your father wasn't able to stick me with a roommate, even though he tried." His laugh broke some of the sexual tension.

He sat up, her in his lap, no longer even pretending that they were fighting. He had forgotten how physically tiny she was until she was there in his arms again.

 

[wideeyedone]

She wriggled out of his arms and scrambled to her feet. Some of her hair had come loose and was hanging around her face. Her nipples were poking through her tank top.

"I'll see you later." She whispered. She bit her lip and tried to smooth her hair into place. She felt like he could see right through her. Her eyes met his one last time and she gave him a little nod and headed back to her billet. She needed a cold shower.

 

[The_gladiator]

His eyes ate her up, intent on her breasts, with their hard nipples, where he had mussed her hair, all proof of their interaction, of her desire for him. He gave he a nod and mock salute.

He lost himself in his classes, having to answer a lot of questions about kicking Garrett's ass. Yes, he had deserved it, no he did not make a habbit of beating up other officers.

Darby was never far from his mind, though. When the class was finished he hit the showers and made his way to the mess hall.

When he got there he was surprised to hear shouting. Knowing his luck it was either Vice Admiral Harper, or That ass Garrett making trouble. He braced himself and walked in not entirely sure what he might find.

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby had showered and her hair was still wet, but she had braided it, to keep it off her face. However, now she was standing in the middle of the mess. Her tray was on the floor and her dinner spilt around her.

Garrett was looming over her. He had his meaty hand wrapped around her upper arm. Darby looked afraid. Garrett was whispering in her ear.

"I heard a rumor about you..." He hissed. "I bet your Daddy was really hacked off that you got knocked up at your last duty station."

She had no idea how he knew, but she was in such a panic she didn't respond.

 

[The_gladiator]

Mac glided through the doorway. The shouting had stopped and there was a hushed silence in the room as the whole place looked towards Darby and Garrett. He was leaned close whispering in her ear. Had he not seen the fallen tray or the look of fear in Darby's face, he might have thought it a lover's embrace.

"Is there a problem here?" Mac's voice cut like a whip. As he stalked forward. Gone was the jovial commander, in its place was the hunter. His eyes were cold, his eyes locked on the younger officer. "How many times do I have to kick your ass, before you leave my woman alone?" He snarled as he neared them. He realized as soon as he said it he'd gone too far, publically claimed her when he probably shouldn't have, though he didn't regret it either.

Garrett looked surprised. "You claim this little whore who got pregnant on assignment, right before she got blown to hell?"

"Don't you dare call her....wait, what? What are you talking about?" He asked his eyes taking on a puzzled look, this time turning to her, rather than on garret.

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby's eyes were wet with tears and Jake's gaze was so intense that she had to look away.

"Please, not here." She whispered, wriggling her arm out of Garret's grip. "We need to talk but not here, not in front of everyone."

She bit her lip hard, trying to contain her emotions. She could feel the people around them staring. She knew they had heard the word whore, and she was pretty sure they had heard knocked up as well.

 

[The_gladiator]

Garret was looking smug, until he saw the intensity of Mac's gaze, and the fear in hers. He suddenly looked surprised as some sort of light clicked in his head, "Its you." The younger officer said sounding almost scared. You're the one who knocked her up."

Mac slid closer his gaze hard, cold, "You will never speak that way to my woman again." This time everyone heard, even though his voice was low, it was cold, "And, if I have a child by her, you certainly will not disrespect he or she either, or I will see you court marshaled or dead." That last statement hung in the air, brittle like ice that might snap. Garret actually looked afraid. He was realizing that he might have stumbled into something bigger than he could handle. He visibly gulped. Mac flicked a gaze to Darby that said I will deal with you later, but then back to Garret. "I was sent to this bloody hell hole because they thought I'd gone native. I didn't, but you make me wish I had, if I had I'd have no compunctions about killing you." Although, the look on his face said that he wouldn't mind killing him right then.

He stepped closer sweeping Darby under his shoulder, arm around her slender shoulders, a clear sign of possession and protection.

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby hadn't made a sound. Silent tears slid down her cheeks as Jake's arm curled around her and pulled her close. She took a few deep breaths as Jake lead them away from Garret and the whispers and rumbles of the mess.

Her chest felt tight and the world felt unsteady under her feet.

"I don't know what to say." Was the only thing she was able to get out. She was trembling under his touch. "Can we go somewhere private?" Her voice was shaking. Her son. No, their son, was a part of her life she tried to keep compartmentalized. It hurt to think of him, to miss him. Somehow, the prospect of having to tell Jake was bringing to the surface all of her feelings of hurt and loneliness she had felt after the explosion. The shame her father tried to make her feel.

 

[The_gladiator]

He stepped closer to her sweeping her out of the room. He nodded shortly to her request.

He lead her through the base towards his chambers. Once they were in his room and the door closed he pushed her away from him. He had supported her in public, his loyalty was no less genuine but he needed answers. "Explain," he barked. He began to pace his eyes looking troubled, "What is going on here."

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby swiped her tears away. She could see the questions on his face.


"I didn't know. Until I was in the infirmary. I awakened from surgery and they told me I was pregnant and going home. I tried to contact you but you didn't exist. No one could tell me who you were."

Darby sank into his bed.

"My father was livid with me. Fleet was angry that I was off post, pregnant and blown to hell. And I never thought I would see you again. So, I had him alone. Our son is with my mother. On Earth. He is healthy and happy. But Fleet wouldn't give me a post where I could have him with me. My father's doing." She looked at him with her big teary eyes. "I am so sorry." She whispered.

 

[The_gladiator]

He listened to her, his face troubled and only growing more so as she spoke. There was dark looks as she described her father's actions. He muttered bastard a couple times.

"I'm going to assume based on your words that you're positive he's mine?" He said, his tone much softer than one might expect with the dark looks on his face he'd been showing. He had to ask that, to confirm it, but he was pretty sure she wasn't the type to sleep around. "I can just imagine how your father would have taken the news that a smuggler knocked you up. Not that he'd like me much better." He snorted a short laugh.

Suddenly it seemed to hit him and he sat down heavily on the bed beside her, "You're telling me I...we have a son?" He seemed to digest that for a long moment before he spoke again, his voice filled with certainty as a memory filled his mind, laying in bed with her. She hadd stroked his chest with her soft hand as she looked up at him head on his shoulder and asked him if he ever had children what he would name them. "You named him Eli after my father, didn't you?" He asked softly, a degree of certainty in his tone, It had been one of the real truths he'd given Darby while in that role, he had no idea why she'd asked him that, or why he'd told her, but he had.

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby's shouldered shuddered as she stifled a sob when he asked her about Eli's name. She nodded.

"His name is Eli Jacob. He has my last name now, but he could have yours. I just didn't know it. I send him video messages."

She looked over at Jake with her doe eyes.

"I didn't want you to find out this way. And if my father finds out, he will be terrible to you. I didn't want that..." Her voice trailed off as her heart thundered in her chest. She reached out for him and laid her hand on his arm. She hoped he didn't pull away.

 

[The_gladiator]

He nodded at her words, "A good name. Jacob is actually my true first name, so you even named him after me." He blew out a long sigh. "Wouldn't be surprised if Harper finds out soon, half the place probably knows, after that scene in the mess." He ran a hand through his hair, not pulling away from her touch.

He was aware of her, her closeness her touch. "I wouldn't have blamed you for not wanting me to be a part of his life, all you knew me as was a smuggler and a cheating bastard. Not a good legacy for our son."

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet up under her. Without asking him, she got in his lap and just tucked her head under his chin.

"You are obligated to him, but you aren't obligated to me. I won't force anything on you." She whispered. "But for right now," She took a deep breath. "Just for right now, can I be yours? Can you just hold me here for a little while. I have been so alone."

And after she said the word alone, she almost melted against his strong chest. She hid her face against his neck and held on tight.

 

[The_gladiator]

Darby kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet up under her. Without asking him, she got in his lap and just tucked her head under his chin.

"You are obligated to him, but you aren't obligated to me. I won't force anything on you." She whispered. "But for right now," She took a deep breath. "Just for right now, can I be yours? Can you just hold me here for a little while. I have been so alone."

And after she said the word alone, she almost melted against his strong chest. She hid her face against his neck and held on tight.

He slid his arms around her by reflex, it just felt right. He had forgotten how tiny she truly was. He rested his chin on the top of her head as he held her close.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone." He said softly. He wondered if she had noticed how he had claimed her in person. He thought maybe she had by the way that she climbed without hesitation into his lap like that. He rocked her gently fingers beginning to stroke through her hair. "May I see him?" He asked softly. "How old does that make him, now?"

 

[wideeyedone]

She made a soft, sweet sound as he held her close. She could hear the warmth and strength in his voice through his chest. She pulled a picture out of her pocket. It was a picture of her holding a baby boy with sparkling blue eyes.

"He is four months old." Her voice was tender as she spoke of their son. "He has started to laugh and make some sounds. "

 

[The_gladiator]

He smiled at the boy's image. "He has my eye shape, but your color, right?" He asked looked up into her eyes to check, cupping her cheek.

"He looks a lot like you might at his age," he said with a smile.

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby laughed.

"My mother says he looks like me, but he is big and strong and healthy. He weighed almost nine pounds when he was born. He is long and lean like you." Darby offered softly.

Darby looked at him with her big eyes.

"I wish I had told you myself. I was just.... waiting for the right time."

 

[The_gladiator]

He shrugged, "It is what it is. We all do what we think is the best choice at the time." He said softly, letting his hand fall from her face, "Like me when I was under cover. You deserved better than that. I won't lie to you at the time you were a part of a role, but as soon as I saw you again it all came back and I don't know if I could put you out of my mind again like that."

He rubbed her back as he spoke, trying to put into words what it was like to be an under cover agent, the way you had to dissociate and maintain it as a separate identity. "I did tell you true things about me, probably more than I should have at the time. There was just something good and kind about you."

 

[wideeyedone]

She found herself melting under his touches.

"When you are ready we can send Eli a message. My mother shows him my messages and records ones for me. " Darby closed her eyes and sighed softly.

She almost jumped out of his arms when someone pounded on the door.

"Is it true, MacDaniel?" She could hear her father snarl through the door.

 

[The_gladiator]

He was just nodding to her words about sending their son, hard to get used to that a message. Suddenly there was a loud pounding at the door followed by the admiral's snarl. "Well, knew the peace wouldn't last."

"True I'm about to fuck your daughter, sir?" He asked raising his voice, "I'm not sure that's your business, did you want to watch or something?" He seriously couldn't resist being an ass, even if it made things worse.

There weren't words to describe her father's apoplexy from the other side of the door. "Open this fucking door before I blow it open. Right now you." And the language switched.

He shot Darby a funny look, "Is he cursing me in Orion?" He asked unable to hide his laugh, although honestly that should frighten him just a bit, he found it hilarious. He did have to admit the string of Orion curses coming through the door was impressive. "Do the Orion's really have 6 different words for bastard?" He asked Darby as if he were ordering lunch as he casually walked to the door and slapped the release, watching it pocket itself into the wall.

"If you're going to make a scene, sir, at least get out of the hallway." He said waving the man in, "scaring the troops and all that."

 

[wideeyedone]

Darby's whole demeanor changed as her father cursed and pounded on the door. She stood up and waited for his entrance. She bit her lip as her father called him every curse word he knew. Her father's temper made her feel like a little girl, instead of the strong, competent fleet officer she had become away from his bluster.

Jake opened the door. The admiral barrelled into the room.

"So, it's true? MacDaniel, you are the father? It was you?" He looked from Jake to Darby, and his eyes did not soften when they rested on his daughter. "Him? He would have been undercover. Was he why you were off post in the first place?" Admiral Harper's face was red. "Darby, go to your quarters. I need to have a talk with MacDaniel."

But Darby made no move to leave. She wasn't going to leave Jake to her father, and she wasn't going to be excluded from the discussion.