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Lost and Found

Posted on Sun Oct 24th, 2021 @ 9:56pm by Lieutenant Harley Horn-Davis & Commander Peter Horn

1,257 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 4 - The Fires Of Hades
Location: Vincent's Gym/Peter's Quarters
Timeline: directly following "Physical Therapy"

Though not all of his anger had evaporated during the out of hand sparring match, most of it did go from his system. Being reunited with Harley had seen to that. He was still crouching on the gym floor, still holding her tight, almost as if he was utterly reluctant to let her go. As if he were afraid that, if he did, she wouldn't be really here. "I was so afraid I lost you," he whispered, even though he had known all along she was still alive.

"I was afraid I was lost, my love." Harley responded gently. "At the moment I'm a bit hungry and where are you staying and where are the boys?" she also asked. "I'm just-" she took a deep breath to fend off the tears that wanted to over flow. "I am glad that you are alive."

"I am glad we all are," Peter answered as he pulled them both up to their feet. "Connor and Ilyas should be in day care, as school has not yet been set up. But..." He hesitated as he cupped her cheek, gently running his thumb across her skin. "I want to show you our new home first... just us."

Harley nodded, "Yes, I would like that very much, Peter." wrapping her arm around his waist. "I have missed you, so very much." trying to contain her tears of relief that wanted to run down her cheeks." Our new home."

Pulling her close, he rested his head against hers, not even caring about the intimacy of them walking together. While raised mostly with Vulcan norms and values, right now he couldn't care less who saw them. "Where did he find you?" he asked as he led her home, "were you on the station, or left behind? Ilyas had been on an escape pod and Connor was with the captain. I was transported too but no-one knew where you were." His expression was haunted. "I was so scared I would not see you again."

"I was transported into some sort of upright cylindrical tube, I couldn't get out and I lost consciousness. Then I woke up all of a sudden and the tube was opened. I didn't have my comm-badge and I tried to find my way out and got lost, from what Brell told me, I've been gone for a few days."

Peter nodded. "At least three days," he admitted, "how did he find you? Search parties turned up nothing... I could not sense you." He gave her a despaired look. "Why could I not sense you, beyond just knowing you were alive?"

"I stepped out of a door way and he found me. I felt you but my senses were scrambled, that is probably why you weren't being able to find me. Besides I believe you were dealing with your difficulty." Placing a hand upon his hand replacement. "I am here now though, love."

Looking down, Peter shook his head. "I am not dealing with anything," he admitted, "I could not face you before, after it happened, because I felt ashamed. I still feel shame... I am not whole Harley, how could I face you all, when I am not whole?"

Harley gave a bit of a snort, "Look Peter, put away your pride, you are still a whole man, maybe slightly shattered as to what happened, but love, don't push us away anymore. I was feeling like I was losing you, I was scared, feeling alone with you withdrawing from us. It seemed like you were dying on the inside and you.. you weren't letting me in. Please let's get to your, our own home before I completely fall to pieces." Harley once again trying to keep from crying.

"I was lost," Peter whispered as he led her home, "I feel lost..." And she was right, he hadn't been letting her in at all, in fact he had been pushing everyone away. The door parted as he led her inside. "It is still bare," he told her, "but for now it is home." The lights came on to reveal very barebones quarters that lacked any personal touch. "It is definitely big enough for all of us."

Peter turned to look at his wife, studying her, taking slow and shallow breaths. "I am scared too," he finally managed, "what if I cannot do this? What if I let everyone down?"

"What if's.. what if's ... Those can just be tossed to one side love. I had to do that, I had to tell the what if's to just go away. It was drowning me, I had the what if I lost you, what if I lost the children... I had to tell that goodbye. I felt you, I knew you were alive. That gave me strength to hold on. To find my way. Now here we are, if one of us falls, the other can help pull the other up. If we both fall we can help each other to stand. That is how marriage works, and if we can't stand we can crawl forward or even drag ourselves. Or even do an inch worm." a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Harley leaned in to kiss Peter. "Right now, I am thinking that we need to reconnect on a very deep level. As you said the boys are not here, and it is just us. We will be okay, we will find our way, my love."

"We always do," Peter agreed, drawing her into his arms, "we always have." He returned the kiss with a fire he'd not been able to show in the past days. In the privacy of his home, he felt more at ease with his emotional display and expressing his feelings. "Where would I be, without you?" he murmured as he drew her further inside.

"And where would I be without you? Oh Peter, let's not think of that." an arm wrapped about his waist, and going where he is taking them. "We have the here and now, thoughts of where we'd be without each other that is left at the door. This isn't a dream, this is reality. I am here, you are here." Harley looking deeply into his eyes.

Then her eyes widened slightly, as she felt even more of his love. Feeling herself become even more connected. This felt so good to her. It must have been the separation from him that was adding to the sensations. "I love you Peter, I truly do."

"I know you do," Peter whispered, gently touching her cheek and opening up his mind to her. "And you are my lifeline, you always have been from the moment you first saved my life, and you always will be." He paused again. "Be with me," he added huskily. "While the boys are out... we do not have much here, yet...but we will make this home. We do have a bed..." He offered a faint smile at the very suggestion.

She smiled in return, "I accept, time to rekindle our togetherness, my love." Harley looked once more at their new home. "This is an untouched canvas waiting for us to paint and create our own place. I am looking forward to this. I truly am."

"As am I," Peter said, carefully sweeping her off of her feet, and carrying her into their new bedroom. "And we will paint it, one brush at the time." He cradled her close and kissed her once more as the bedroom door closed behind them.

END

 

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