Still Running To You

Posted on Sat Feb 9th, 2019 @ 5:25am by Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy

Mission: Run Afoul
Location: Brig
Timeline: following "The last damn run"
786 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

For a little while, Patrick wasn't sure this was wise. Though he had permission to do this, heck it was even strongly suggested to him that he do this, he still wasn't sure. However, he did know it was probably a good thing that he was about to do this anyway. The man needed to know he had support, and that he wasn't alone in this. After all, wasn't it what brought them together in the first place?

When he entered the brig, Wexler still hadn't returned and for a moment, Patrick smiled. The captain had indeed scared him off, at least for a while. Slowly, he approached Murphy's cell and stopped short at the presumably resurrected forcefield. "Hi..." he said softly, drawing the occupant's attention.

"You can come in. She left the forcefield down when she ran off," Murph replied with a shrug.

"She did?" Surprise registered on the younger man's face as he inched forward. "How odd..." Not that he minded though. He looked up as he stepped across the threshold. "She sent me down here to talk to you," he explained, "she said you're afraid of me getting hurt.." He left the statement hang there, wanting him to pick up on it.

"Funny, that's what I told her. And I've said the same thing to you before," Murphy didn't seem to be in a very light mood. He crossed his arms as he sat on the bench. "So...?"

"I think me getting hurt was just an accident. Wrong place wrong time type of accident. Nothing that could've been prevented or forseen to be honest. I don't think you really need to be afraid of anything happening to me, it's not like I frequent away missions. The mess is perfectly safe for me to be, and what happened doesn't make me feel less safe around you either." He paused. "She made me promise not to go to engineering again though," he added slowly, "so...I won't go there. I won't bring you food anymore, not to your workplace anyway."

Murph rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "I don't want to shut you out of my life, but I need some dividers. Work and personal. It's impossible to separate sometimes, but... I just feel like we need to try to."

Sitting down next to him, Patrick dared a small smile. "Work and private separate, I can work with that," he said, "but can I please get you something for that headache? As soon as you're released and the doctor isn't already on her way?" Leaning closer, he wrapped an arm around the man. "I'm just happy to hear you are not going to shut me out. Alright?"

"My head will be fine," Murph said quietly, leaning against the man a bit. "I'll be fine. I am hungry. Maybe we should go back to your place and I'll let you make me a sandwich." He chuckled. "I mean... the door is open and she said she'd be right back but she sent you instead."

"She walked me here, fully intent on letting you out." Patrick smiled at him, leaning closer. " I'm sure she won't mind it if you, a senior officer, would walk me, a civilian, home?" He shifted, reaching for his hand. "Come. I'll make you anything you want, even if I might need some help here and there."

"I hate that you're still in pain," Murph said, glancing over at Patrick's bad arm before taking the offered hand. "What has the doctor said about it?"

"Nothing yet, I will see her later today. I have limited use of my arm. I do feel better, and I'm in less pain than before." He drew his good arm around Murph's waist. "Healing takes time," he added, "and it'll go better when I feel happy." Leaning in, he kissed his cheek. "And right now, I'm the happiest man in the ship."

"Really? Happiest?" Murphy smiled softly. "Well, once we get where we're going, we should take some time away from the ship and you can rest and recover."

"Yes, we should." He stood, drawing Murphy up with him. "And then you can have some proper rest too. Come, let's go home and I'll get you that sandwich. And I mean it, right now I do feel like I'm the happiest in the universe, because I'm here with you."

"Maybe a grilled cheese would make me the happiest man," Murph said, chuckling lightheartedly. "Kidding!" he threw in when Paddy looked over at him again. He leaned in quick and gave the man a quick peck on the cheek. They really were going to be okay.


Lieutenant Angus Murphy
Chief Engineer
USS Majestic

Patrick O'Malley
Happy Chef
pnpc Lhaes