Hiding

[Rebecca Talon]

"I understand. Maybe you and I are the only ones that can understand each other. We are.... we're becoming something that we don't want to be. I nearly became Bellatrix in my hubris. Forsaking everything that makes me, me."

[Angel Ryder]

"Ever since what they did to Trinity, that I actually got her scars physically on my body... it's like I've had no patience, and less calm." Angel closed her eyes and tried to relax. "You do know the only times I ever took a break, I was in sickbay recovering from injuries or I had just given birth, I've been pretty much on duty ever since I first put on a Yeoman's jacket and worked with dad and then when I put on a uniform with you... that was a long time already." she felt her right knee. "Maybe I need the time off to reflect."

[Rebecca Talon]

"I think you ought to," Rebecca replied. "It's about time you took care of yourself."

[Angel Ryder]

"Of course that does mean that Kitea is going to be Nathan's bird for a while, which means I may not see much of him again." Angel sighed and rubbed her eyes. "So do I drive myself and my crew nuts and stay through this latest crisis or do I actually take some of my leave that I have accumulated, I didn't really take much of my maternity leave, I worked pretty much until I couldn't reach the consoles. So there's at least four months right there." she looked at Becca. "Since I will have the space, wanna move in with me? I built my house to be big enough for myself and my XO at the time and her husband to live comfortably without killing each other, but so we could be ready to go into action at a moment's notice. Don was a lovely man but he barely knew how to trim a bush let alone take care of a house, and he was a Marine pilot!" she looked at her wedding band and sighed. "Honestly, I like having people in the house and Ethan's got to be retaught a few things. Nathan will never notice, when he's in system all he sees are the bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen and maybe the living room. Of course if I'm home, then it's just the bedroom and bathroom, six bedroom three bath house and we're using a third of it."

[Rebecca Talon]

" I think you should do what is best for you. Let me ask this: can you sit on the sidelines and let someone else do your job?"

[Angel Ryder]

"That is the million dollar question." Angel replied and took a sip of her iced tea and sighed. "I have no idea. I've been doing my job since I could. I'm sure for a little while I could, but how long that'll last... that's the question. Although I'm still young, I'm not retiring but I do need to recharge. Of course, even without the service, I still have other things that always require my attention. The clothing line, my work with Natalia's 'Sophia Institute' which I have been slacking in, haven't developed anything new technology-wise in over a year now. Refinements but nothing new. Even my clothing which was always my escape and my eventual retirement plan, I've been passing a lot of work onto others. Which is fine, even Coco Chanel didn't design everything herself." she looked at the ocean and closed her eyes for a moment. "If you asked me that a few years ago, when my counterpart Ang'Jhu was still alive, I may have said 'yeah I'd be okay with that'. Now... I don't know. Would I be able to go back to my old role once I give it up?"

[Rebecca Talon]

She shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps it might be something better. Of course it could be something worse. Something that chills you to your core."

[Angel Ryder]

"What would that be?" Angel raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "You know... I actually visited mother's... grave, memorial... whatever you want to call it. First time since she died. I hated her so much these past few years, I resented her and yet... she was still my mother. Part of her is a part of me. As much of my dad is in me, there's her too. And you. I would be lying if I didn't wish you and dad would have somehow made it work, course I think you would have killed him years ago. Way too similar."

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca stiffened, "No, I don't think I would have. I have always loved your father, but he needs a woman who can fulfill his idea of a woman. I am not her. Fortunately for him he found that in Alice, and I couldn't be happier for him. He deserves to be happy. Something I know I couldn't provide him. I've been in a one sided loving relationship. It's hell for both of us."

[Angel Ryder]

Angel chuckled, "Oh he loves you, but he'd never jeopardize the friendship you two have. Even when he was single. Course as we know how there are a lot of versions of him out there. Who knows?" she shrugged her shoulders. "Although in a lot of realities I'm a queen bitch or I'm dead. So that's not entirely encouraging. Even my late counterpart Ang'Jhu was pretty much less than a year from shuffling off if it wasn't for the massive organ transplants she got, guess as good as Romulan doctors are, in a Romulan controlled Starfleet, they are still painfully unable to really treat humans." she took a sip of her tea and looked at Becca. "In any case... I'm still glad you're back and you made the right call with Bartyn. I think deep down even dad realizes it was the right call. I helped Jack with that place they put him, he says it was built for K'n'zy but it was really built for mom and anyone else she was linked to if she didn't play nice. I still cannot believe she's really dead. Not the first time she's faked it."