Judging by the satisfied noises Lizzy was making, Izzy assumed that she must be doing a good job as she tried to gently undo all of the stress and tension brought about by a combination of combat armour, military issue boots and being crammed into a cockpit for a prolonged period of time "That's ok, anything for my girl" Izzy softly spoke as she worked her way down Lizzy's thighs with her then moving on to calves, and then her feet. With her happy that she was able to put what she'd learned helping her mom with her chronic back problems to good use as she worked on Lizzy in a professional manner that would hopefully help her rather than simply touching her up as was often the case when couples massaged one another "Would you like me to massage your front as well? Or would you rather I made us both a hot chocolate while you put your jammies on?" Izzy softly asked as she worked on the last few muscles in Lizzy's leg.

  (( day of  tunnel run))

   Shadow and  Shade walk towards the  Lift. they are wearing thier armor  and  carrying  weapons they would have  durnign a Jump Off.

  One of the newer  SEC troopers where  there,..hitting the tunnels  , 'ey  LC?

 Yep..one of  my favorite  things to do on the ship.. The two  Troopers  chuckled as the two entered to go  up to the  tunnels

>>>>>>>>>  Shadow, Shade  to Tunnels.

 Lizzy smiled after Izzy was done and then asked if she wanted her to do the front or cocoa while she got her jammies on. Lizzy smiled and replied," I would love a hot chocolate. I will put my jammies on we can snuggle in bed and watch a cheesy Rom Com , how does that sound?" Lizzy smiled got everything ready picked out a vid for them to watch, they cuddled, drank hot cocoa as they watched the movie until the vid was over and it was time for bed. Lizzy set her alarm for 6 she wanted to be early to the tunnels, as she helped Izzy put everything away so they could head to bed.

<Flex to Morning>
It had been a long day.  Still it had been a good day too.  Finally getting Haley ready for bed (plus Roll if he wanted to sleep over, he was always welcomed) and all she did a bit of rearranging with the maghooks to allow her to hang the victa up with her guitar as well.  Still a bit early for her, she had put Haley down with another 'Stony the Pony' story, this one the day of the big wind.  All tucked in she readied herself as well and set up her gear for the tunnel run.  She nibbled on a cookie and read mail and sent a few as well.  Nothing outright mentioning Haley incase the letter was intercepted.  After finished her cookie she closed the task of letter writing and moved to go to bed.  She would make sure she and Haley and all were up and ready for a good breakfast, school, and a hard run.

Morning came all too soon.

<end flex>

[From OBS Dec - Flex]

Nic was more than happy to agree to the run together some time. "Perhaps this tunnel run without the pack of people running like they don't know how to should be avoided but I'll ask and see if it can be used at other times." They took the lift back up to the Officer's Quarters and he walked her to her door, turning towards her with a smile. "Thank you for trusting me enough to spend some time with me tonight Harry. I really enjoyed it." He had even if some of it was her past that she didn't enjoy.

"Well... I should go," he said, not moving and once again lightly running his fingers up and down her arm. "Don't forget to start at the beginning with your book there, yea?" He then boldly took a step closer to her and slipped his arms around her. "Good night," his arm tightened around her briefly in a hug before he let go and then a look of mischief crossed his face and he reached up with one finger to pressed to the underside of her chin to tilt her head. "Sleep well," he murmured as he lowered his head and lightly kissed her on the lips. Nic then stepped back and winked before walking away, heading to his quarters.

She was right, he needed sleep if the LC was going to run everyone ragged. With that in mind when he got back to his quarters, he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. Eventually he fell asleep when he finally forced himself to stop thinking about then night and just spending it relaxing with Harry. He really had enjoyed spending time with her just talking like they had though he might have gone too far with the kiss. Oh well, it was done and over with.

[To Tunnels - EOF]

”That sounds wonderful to me” Izzy softly replied as Lizzy opted for hot chocolate and a snuggle, her silk clad body brushing against the bare skin of Lizzy’s back as she leaned in gave her a tender kiss on her cheek ”ok, you pick something out for us to watch, I’ll be right back” She whispered before heading towards the kitchenette wearing her colour changing lingerie and with a very deliberate sway in her step.

She would return a few minutes later carrying a pair of mugs and would settle down in bed beside her beautiful, and hopefully more relaxed, girlfriend. She would spend the remainder of the night with Lizzy’s arm around her and her head gently resting against her shoulder because as much as she thought of Lizzy as being her girl  and her increasing preference for being the dominant one in the bedroom Izzy was, and always would be the little spoon, and there was nothing she could to change that...not that she would ever dream of doing so.

It would be in a very similar position that Izzy would awaken to the following morning when the alarm went off ”It’s your turn to set the shower going” she murmured, finding Lizzy’s lips with her own in the darkness of their bedroom and giving her a good morning kiss. They had a tunnel run this morning so they didn’t have a lot of time in which to get ready, but once she’d kissed Lizzy good morning a couple of times she would go and prepare their traditional breakfast of seriously black coffee before joining Lizzy in the shower.

---> Obs Dec

Soon enough they were back at the door to her quarters, with Harry once again casually leaning against the jamb as he bid her goodnight, not that he seemed to be any rush to actually leave her "yes, I enjoyed tonight too...well...most of it" she said, despite the number of skeletons they'd unearthed during the course of their conversation and with many more still yet to see the light of day.

She would agree to to start from the beginning and not miss anything out or gloss over the details as she was writing in her work book later tonight, with her then more than happy to return the hug he gave her with her replying "Goodnight Nic, I'll see you tomorrow" as she does so. It was then that Nic would do something rather surprising, with Harry catching a glimpse of a mischievous look in his eyes before he leaned in and gently kissed her. So surprised was she by this simply act of affection that she had stood their with a poleaxed look on her face for several moments before she was able to recover enough of her wits to open her door and enter her quarters, with her smiling like a lovestruck idiot as she does so.

It would it take a little while for reality to once again set in with her once again thinking that this whole "just friends" thing she had with Nic wasn't going to last very long, especially if continued to give her kisses like that. However no sooner had her eyes dropped to the work book laying upon the breakfast bar where she'd left it, Harry would groan with her picking up both the book and Hamlet and heading towards her desk "come on it's time you made yourself useful and helped me" she said to the cuddly toy Hamster as she sat down and began to write.

It would take her several hours to get what she wanted written out with her stopping and starting several times throughout the process with her even tearing out several pages and starting over at one point. However by the early hours of the morning she was finally finished. The first part would cover how she'd ran away from home to join a gang just as she had told Nic this morning, followed by how she had given up on Abby and left her to die on Uden feeling like an utter failure of a sister and despite knowing that she was a traitor unable to either kill her or turn her in, and how when she'd been eventually been forced to shoot her down to stop her from killing Higgins she'd felt like a monster that totally undeserving of love, sympathy or friendship from anyone. She would also recount how she had given up on her training to be a flight leader and later her role in Delta night's both of which she'd done for the simple fact that she was rubbish at it and was afraid that to continue would get someone killed. There were also some minor bits of pieces that in the grand scheme of things were completely irrelevant but were written down all the same.

With her work finally completed, an emotionally drained Harry would get undressed and go to bed, taking Hamlet with her and quietly hoping that tonight she would allowed to get some sleep.

 Lizzy had an amazing quiet relaxing fun evening with Izzy, they went to sleep and they awoke in the morning. Lizzy smiled and felt great the balm and the massage made her feel great lets hope it helps during the run and she doesnt do poorly after the tunnel runs she thinks saved her life. She then replied," Yes no problem you get the strongest coffee you can make ready ." Lizzy smiled then went to the bathroom and got the shower ready.

 Lizzy then waited for Izzy to join her in the shower, Lizzy was moving a lot better but they didnt have a lot of time if they wanted to be early for the tunnel run. Lizzy wasnt sure if Izzy would be joining her for the run. They showered and they had a little fun but it was mostly a cleaning sensual shower. Once they where done they got out and Lizzy dried Izzy off, and dried herself off. Lizzy then slid into her Envirosuit then her armor and weapons for the run. She drank her hot black coffee as they got ready. Lizzy made sure to check on and feed their amazing fish.

 Once they where both ready Lizzy smiled and said," Ready to kick some ass Izzy, lets go show them." Lizzy smiled again, gave Izzy a kiss and headed out the door and to the Tunnels.

----->>>>> To Tunnels

In the morning at 6 or so The alarm went off .  She let Haley sleep because..well, kids need sleep.  It allowed her time to take a quick shower, no need for a long one since she was going to get sweaty.  Her hair she brushed into a pony then a bun.  She then went and laid out Haleys clothes and got her backpack ready, even checked her school work.  Then woke her for school.  While she dressed Nikki made some breakfast for both.  Milk, juice, grits, and ham, as well as a bit of eggs.  They would be ready by 7am and Nikki would walk her to the school.  A big hug and Haley skipped off to class. she waved at a few of her classmates.  Nikki went and stopped back at her quarters, with a small stop at the officers mess for a piece of fruit and a hot tea.  She found out they had some premade blintzes, she definitely snagged 2.  Back in her quarters she at one and sipped her tea as she set up Haleys new toy.  Then changing for the run she had all her gear and made her way to the tunnel by 10 til 8.

====> tunnel for running

They would shower together like they did most mornings, with Izzy quietly giggling as Lizzy dried her off...like most mornings before getting changed into her envirosuit. She would put off climbing into her armour until she’d had her coffee, having learned from her time helping Beth with the comms that it was rather uncomfortable and difficult to relax in. Once she’d finished her coffee she’d pull on her boarding armour and collect the rest of her gear for the run ”As ready as I’ll ever be” Izzy replied as she tightened the last of her straps and then followed Lizzy out the door.

——> The Tunnels

It would be another rough night for Harry as her brain fretted and worried about her immediate future with her meeting with Stefi and whatever new role she would be expected to fulfill taking centre stage. Unsurprisingly it would be thought of Nic, or more accurately the kiss he’d given her, that would act as the solitary candle within the sea of dark thoughts that she had recently become lost within. With her clutching the cuddly  hamster toy tightly against her chest as she waited for sleep to finally take her.

The tunnel run would be well underway by the time she climbed out of bed and stumbled into the shower, feeling like she hadn’t slept in weeks.  Once she was finished in the shower she would change into a fresh uniform and brush her hair before forcing herself to eat some breakfast which consisted of some burnt toast and a cup of tea with her wondering if it was about time she learned to cook.

Once she’d finished eating she would reluctantly collect her workbook from where she’d left it, tuck Hamlet into her top pocket for a little moral support and then head for med tech.

——> Med Tech

[From Tunnels]

Nic took the lift back up and then exited, heading down the hall to his quarters. There at the door he keyed in his code and entered. With a few quick snaps he removed the SMG and set it on the desk, unslung his pack and hung that over the back of the chair and then started removing his armor then uniform. Nic sent a quick message to Harry to let her know he was back from his run and wanted to know how things went with her talk. She was more than welcome to his quarters if she wanted a change of scenery. He ducked into the shower and turned it on as hot as he liked it then picked up his dirty uniform and put it in the hamper for cleaning. Undershirt and other things followed before he hit the heated water and took the time to soak muscles he knew would ache later if he didn't keep them loose. Either way, he hadn't run like that in months now and his only ventures were a easy to run but boring multi lap round the football field on the other ship.

——> Med Tech

Feeling despondent and drained after her talk with Stefi, Harry would return to her quarters where she drop the workbook onto her desk with her then placing Hamlet on the book to act as it’s tiny guardian. She also didn’t want to report to SEC with him in her pocket so his presence wouldn’t be misconstrued by certain people. It was as she was trying to decide whether to make herself another cup of tea in order to put off what undoubtedly be a rather unpleasant meeting with Roy to see where she ended up, that she would receive Nic’s message. Gently biting her lower lip in indecision she would try to decide whether she should head over to his quarters so they could talk, more than happy to spend time with him even if it meant discussing her mental health but unsure if being alone with him in his quarters was such a good idea. After all they had spent a lot of time dancing around the fact that they liked each other but felt they should remain just friends. She was also just a little worried, considering how they’d met, that he may have a thing for damsels in distress and would lose interest in her once she was on an even keel again.

Unsurprisingly Harry would soon find herself walking down the corridors in officer country reading the names over the doors in search of Nic’s quarters which she had yet to visit. Eventually she would find his door and after hesitating several moments would press the door buzzer, with her offering him a shy, if nervous, smile if and when he opened the door.

Nic had just gotten out of the shower and dried off before walking back into the main room and grabbing a pair of boxers and his uniform pants. He pulled them on quick enough when the door buzzed at him and zipped up before releasing the door. Which probably was a surprise to Harry and probably smacked that nervousness right out of the water at the same time but the expression on his face lit up to see her there and he smiled. "Hey, how are you feeling?" He took a step back and motioned for her to come in. "Sorry, I was getting dressed." Like that wasn't obvious at all. "Sit down where ever? I have some tea but not sure its what you prefer. I also have water and coffee," he babbled practically then padded into the small kitchen area to fill the small water heating unit he had with water and then let it heat up.

Nikki was soon back in her quarters and changed out of her sweaty clothing and took a good long hot shower, even washing her hair.  Stepping out she began drying off and then getting redressed in cleaner clothes.  her hair still in a turban of a bath towel she cleaned up a bit and straighten the billet out.  finally she brushed and braided her hair and hung the towel to dry.  She then grabbed her paint kit and thought about it a moment and changed from her good of duty clean clothes to a rather good but clearly messy paint covered clothes.  then she left for the hangar dec.


===> to hangar dec

The nervous smile would quickly be replaced by a surprised look as Nic answered the door shirtless with a part of Harry’s brain registering the fact that he looked pretty good with his shirt off even as she stammered out a response “Oh...um...sorry, it’s not a bad time is it?” she asked as she followed him inside as the other part of her brain said that this was exactly the reason why being alone in his quarters was unwise. When asked how she was feeling she would shrug her shoulders a bit before replying ”Not great, but I’m starting to get used to that...also a cup of tea would be lovely; white, no sugar” she said as she tried her best not to ogle him...or at least not make it quite so obvious that she was checking him out “So how did your first tunnel run go?” she asked as she found somewhere to sit down.

Harry was probably lucky she didn't catch him five minutes earlier when the only thing he had was a towel wrapped around his lean hips. He nodded to her question of what to drink and for himself, he poured himself a glass of water. "No, sorry. I was getting dressed before heading to the Rec dec to get something to eat." He took a mug out and sat it next to the water heating up and then a tea bag. Then he turned and crossed his arms over his chest, watching her. "Well, I am here if you want to talk about it or just not talk about it. Company if you wish."

The question of the run brought a smile to his face and he dropped his arms, taking a step towards her. "It was great. Was able to really push myself for the first time in months. I'm pretty sure some thing are going to hurt in the morning too for doing that. Do they have a masseuse on board? Anyways the tunnel is perfect for running longer distances. We should go off time to run. If you want?" The sound of the water boiling came to a end and he turned back, pouring the water into the mug after dropping the tea back in. "Milk?" He glanced back to Harry with a brow raised.

"I don't want to keep you from your lunch, but let's just say that my talk with Stefi went about as well as I expected it would, though it probably didn't help that I got the times mixed up and turned up late...apparently I made some progress but it didn't really feel that way to me" Harry responded with a despondent sigh before moving on to the topic of the tunnel run with the question bringing a smile to Nic's face as he spoke animatedly about how it was the first time he'd been able to truly stretch his legs with him then going on to ask if she'd like to go for a run with him sometime "sure, I'd like that...I mean the tunnels runs weren't too bad until Shadow started inviting every man and his dog along so it got stupidly cramped, not to mention the fucking largs...the bloody things scare me half to death and he expects me to run with them" she replied before signalling that she would like milk in her tea.

She would quietly sit there for a few moments before taking a tentative sip of her tea after which she would start to speak again in a quiet conversational tone of voice "...It probably wouldn't be a bad idea for me to start running again as I really need to find something to help me deal with stress and head squirrels other than getting rat arsed or picking fights on the rec dec because apparently that isn't healthy" she said putting her tea down just long enough for her to do the inverted commas before picking it back up again and taking another sip "...it'd be even better if it allowed me to get a decent nights sleep"

Nic shook his head. She wasn't keeping him from breakfast. He did give her his full attention though, listening and then winced slightly. "If I helped that by any means, I am sorry Harry. I don't know what constitutes as progress either." He took a swallow of water and set the glass down.

He chuckled softly. "Well they use it occasionally for sniper training but I would prefer not to have the pack there. I don't mind the largs, kinda remind me of dogs. I take it you are not a dog person at all?" He sighed softly. She really had a lot of things that she needed to get straight. The fact she was talking about it seemed to be her making an effort to do so.

He picked up his glass and walked over to sit down in the chair next to her and set the glass on the table. "No, it wouldn't be a bad idea. It helps get the endorphins running and that makes for a happier person," he said quietly. "And that means less stress and less reason to think of the bad things in your past and look forwards to the good things...," he said, the glint in his eye saying he was about to say something else in tease. "... like me." He chuckled at her and then reached out for her hand. "And that isn't fair to leave that barn door open like that. Decent nights sleep, indeed. I know of a few ways to tucker you out like that."

He chuckled but then got a more serious look. "I will try to help you Harry. Not only because I like you and not because I want to get you into my bed. Its because you want to change and I see that. You are fighting what ever the LC and others say about you in a constructive way right now. I want to see you keep that up. And it doesn't matter what this evolves into in the future. We could just stick to good friends or involved. As long as you are happy. Its not gonna stop me from teasing you though." He gave her a big grin.

She would wave off his apology for her being late, after all it wasn’t his fault she was so damn tired...unfortunately...with Nic likewise saying that he wasn’t fond of the crowded conditions on the run but didn’t mind the Largs ”no I’m bloody not! I only stopped being scared of them when those damn largs showed up...I have a simple rule; never tangle with anything that has more teeth than the entire Osmond family” she said as a still shirtless Nic came to sit next to her. As he spoke of ways to tire her out and the like Harry would struggle to determine whether he was teasing her again or coming onto her, and whether she wanted to take him up on that offer serious or not. She was also grateful when he said that he would keep helping and supporting her, Though she would laugh when he said that he wouldn’t stop teasing her ”I wouldn’t expect any different...I probably ought to let you get something to eat, though it would mean you’d have to put a shirt on, you tease”

Nic leaned back in his chair and gave her an amused look. "The word tangle brings across the action of pissing them off. And I am sure in the hands of those not us, the largs are scary. This group here seems more dog like." He chuckled at her comment about more teeth than the Osmond family. She did have a point.

A brow quirked then. "Oh? And here I thought you would like to see me shirtless and enjoy it. You could have arrived earlier than you did and caught me in nothing but a towel." He grinned at her. Oh he was teasing her and trying not to come on to her but it was damn hard.

"I have energy bars if I get really hungry. I just want to make sure you are ok Harry." Then he leaned back towards her and lifted his hand up, fingers brushing against her cheek lightly. He offered her a smile and sighed, dropping his hand. "Come with me to the Rec Dec," he suddenly said. "You need to eat too. Please?"

"Trust me, when you've had something large, scaly and with a gob full of teeth charging at you you tend to give them a wide berth afterwards" she said recalling the close shaves she'd had with the various attack animals she'd encountered. Not that she could tell him about any of those times or at least not yet.

As he continued to tease her about how he thought she'd enjoy the view of his body and how she had narrowly avoided seeing him in only a towel, with Harry suspecting that had that been the case then things would have played out very differently, she would softly chuckle as she gently ran a fingertip down his arm "oh I never said I wasn't enjoying the view...only that you are a tease" she said with her seemingly giving up all pretence as she admired his bare chest, vaguely hearing him saying something about energy bars. Feeling his finger brushing her cheek she would look up at him and smile with him then inviting her to join him on the rec dec, pointing out that she needed to eat too. Still finding the idea of being around other people to be rather unappealing she would hesitate for a few moments, however upon realising that unless she wanted to survive on burnt toast for the rest of her life that she would have to go there eventually, Harry would nod her head in agreement "Ok, maybe for a little while I still need to go to SEC and see if they'll take me in...or if I'm going to the QM Stores" she said with it clear that she wasn't particularly thrilled with either option.

He knew as soon as she mentioned it yet again that he was going to be paying for teasing her. If he was honest with himself he could feel the warmth of her gaze wandering over his chest but it was that touch that she gave him that sent a shiver down his spine. "You make that sound like its a bad thing," he said distractedly to her comment about him being a tease because of that touch. He forced himself to not react to that, grabbing on to her agreement with faint relief and disappointment in equal measures.

"If you don't want to go to the Rec... I am a pretty good hand at cooking. Mainly dishes from my home. We could stay in and I could do that, cook for you and give you a taste of the Mediterranean...?" No, that was the wrong thing to ask her because if she stuck around he wasn't sure if he could avoid taking things further than either of them should go. "I could... walk you there after if you wish," he said hesitantly.

He found himself closer to her and reached up to press his finger against the underside of her chin as he looked up. Nic realized that he was still watching her closely, staring at her. He first lowered his eyes away from her then tilted his head down to force himself to look away. Suddenly he stood up and walked away, grabbing his tee and pulling it on. "I should get dressed because as much as you might enjoy looking at my chest, don't need the SEC on me because I'm flaunting," he said with a forced laugh. The tee was tucked into his pants and then he pulled on his socks and boots.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:28, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

<<<<<From the Tunnels

Once inside her room, Billie stripped down, putting her clothes into the hamper before heading into the shower. She didn’t take long, really only needing to rinse the sweat from her body. When she was done, she dried herself off and dressed in a sports bra, a HERMES t-shirt and a pair of compression leggings that she liked working out in. Leaving her hair loose about her shoulders and putting her shoes on, Billie headed out for the rec dec.

>>>>>To the Rec Dec
This message was last edited by the player at 04:12, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Chuckling softly she would watch as Nic hurriedly got to his feet and started pulling the rest of his clothes, with her teasing seemingly having the desired effect you’ve still got it Harry girl she thought to herself with a smile before allowing her mind to wander to that of Nic’s offer to cook for her. She had to admit that the idea of a home cooked meal was rather appealing it perhaps a little unwise considering she was trying to be a good girl and concentrate on her recovery ”Maybe another time, the rec dec will be fine” she said with him no doubt relieved to be let off the hook. It was as Nic was pulling on his shirt, which Harry was totally not watching him do, that he would offer to her walk her to SEC when they were done ”I...yeah...that would be nice, thank you I’d like that” she quietly said as she finished the last of her tea.

As soon as Nic was ready to go Harry would get up and follow him down to the rec dec.

——> Rec Dec