Chapter 1
It was early in the morning on Icarus two and the sounds of echoing footsteps could be heard all over the ship, crew members were waking up from their deep slumber and making their way into the kitchen for breakfast. Ashley's eyes squinted in her sleep as the dream of falling into the sun's surface invading her mind. She was screaming in her dream as she fell, she could feel the heat getting more and more intense as she approached the surface, it felt so real. By the time she reached the surface she felt strong hands grab ahold of her lightly shaking her out of her nightmare, her eyes shot open and could feel sweat pouring off of her face. Her eyes adjusted and took in some deep breaths to calm down, She was almost sure she was close to hyperventilating. When she looked to her right she could see Capa sitting on the bed next to her, his eyes full of worry as he placed a wet washcloth on her head.
"You had that dream again didn't you?" He asked while dabbing her sweaty face with the washcloth. "Yes, this time it felt even more real. I was falling and I could feel the heat burning my body, I was screaming and it felt like no one could hear me." she said in a scared tone, feeling her breathing pick up once more when she talked about it. Capa let out a worried sigh as he positioned himself behind her placing his hands on her shoulders, massaging them, "I could hear you screaming all the way from the kitchen, I thought maybe you were having a wet dream about Mace" he said with a laugh knowing full well of her relationship with Mace a few months into the mission. As much as he hated to think about them being involved, he couldn't really help but tease her every now and then to watch her squirm.
Ashley's mouth dropped, stunned that Capa would even dare tease her about Mace again. She turned around swatting him on the leg with the wet washcloth he had been using to wet her head. Capa jumped as the cloth stung his leg, "Hey what the fuck was that for?" He asked while rubbing his leg. What a baby. It was just a little slap. "Don't even joke about that, you know I don't like Mace in that way anymore" she said biting her lip as she looked down, her mind filled with memories of their relationship, how Mace's anger issues was partly the reason why they broke up.
"You were in love with the little asshole at some point Ashley, we all know that" he said with a slight chuckle, even though deep inside it truly bothered him that she had a relationship months ago with the man that continuously made his life a living hell on a daily basis. Ashley let out a sigh, she wanted to tell Capa how she truly felt about him in hopes he would feel the same way about her. She knew the mission was extremely important to him and that he probably didn't want a relationship distracting him, and more importantly she feared that if she told him how she felt, it would make their friendship awkward. She quickly searched her mind that was clouded by her subconscious telling her to tell him, her heart was beating out of her chest and her breathing quickened. "But..." she started to say trying to find the right words that wouldn't make this incredibly awkward. She scooted a little closer to him putting her hand on his while staring into his beautiful blue eyes. Damn it. Those eyes. She took in a deep breath and began to speak again, "That was a long time ago Capa, I don't love him anymore." she said feeling her hands begin to sweat. This was it. She was about to confess her feelings to him. She paused for a moment and took in a deep breathe, lifting her hand up to his face and stroking his cheek lightly, the warmth of his face and the beauty of his eyes was enough to make her want to melt. " I am in love with you" she said softly, her words fading out at the end of the sentence, hoping maybe he didn't hear that last part.
Capa's eyes flickered as he flexed his jaw muscle, he was completely taken back by what Ashley had admitted to him at this very moment. He could feel his heart beating a little faster than before, he could feel happiness overwhelm him. This was something he had wanted to hear her say since they first met, he had always cherished their friendship but deep down he had always wanted more. His hand traced along the sheets to her hand and he gently placed it on top, letting his fingers stroke her skin. A smile immediately erupted on his face, his heart was so happy. Before he could say anything Kaneda entered the doorway lightly knocking on the door.
"Breakfast is ready." he said with a slight smile. "Okay we are coming" Capa said standing up and stretching. Kaneda turned his attention towards Ashley, concerned about her nightmares that she has had every night for the past month. "How are the dreams? Better or worse?" he asked her in a concerned voice while taking a seat beside her on the bed. "You are starting to sound like Searle" she said chuckling and rolling her eyes, "I'm fine, really, they are just dreams" she said shrugging her shoulders, her eyes trail away from Kaneda's and she looked down fiddling with her hands. Kaneda's took her hands into his, his eyes looked of worry, "These dreams trouble you" he said lifting her chin up to meet with his eye level. Ashley leaned forward, "These dreams trouble me or do they trouble you because they interfere with my work with the mission?" she said in a smart ass tone. She pulled her hands away from Kaneda's and proceeded to get up to walk over to where Capa was, hoping he would speak up and defend her in all of this.
Kaneda let out a sigh and stood up from the bed, "At least promise me you will go to Searle and talk to him about this" he said. Ashley looked at Capa first who stood there quiet, his arms crossed, every once in a while he would flex his jaw muscle for a moment. He was obviously clinching his teeth in annoyance of Kaneda but still, he stood there silent. Ashley's eyes met back with Kaneda, she let out a frustrated sigh, "Fine I will go see Searle as soon as I have some time okay?" she asked him hoping that this would be the end of the conversation for the time being.
A smile broke on Kaneda's face, "Excellent. Now come, the food is ready" he said before exiting the room. Upon entering the dining room of the ship, the aroma of food filled the air and at the table sat Harvey, Cassie, Corazon, Trey, Searle and Kaneda who had just taken a seat between Trey and Searle. Ashley and Capa took a seat at the table just as Mace was bringing out the food.
It was early in the morning on Icarus two and the sounds of echoing footsteps could be heard all over the ship, crew members were waking up from their deep slumber and making their way into the kitchen for breakfast. Ashley's eyes squinted in her sleep as the dream of falling into the sun's surface invading her mind. She was screaming in her dream as she fell, she could feel the heat getting more and more intense as she approached the surface, it felt so real. By the time she reached the surface she felt strong hands grab ahold of her lightly shaking her out of her nightmare, her eyes shot open and could feel sweat pouring off of her face. Her eyes adjusted and took in some deep breaths to calm down, She was almost sure she was close to hyperventilating. When she looked to her right she could see Capa sitting on the bed next to her, his eyes full of worry as he placed a wet washcloth on her head.
"You had that dream again didn't you?" He asked while dabbing her sweaty face with the washcloth. "Yes, this time it felt even more real. I was falling and I could feel the heat burning my body, I was screaming and it felt like no one could hear me." she said in a scared tone, feeling her breathing pick up once more when she talked about it. Capa let out a worried sigh as he positioned himself behind her placing his hands on her shoulders, massaging them, "I could hear you screaming all the way from the kitchen, I thought maybe you were having a wet dream about Mace" he said with a laugh knowing full well of her relationship with Mace a few months into the mission. As much as he hated to think about them being involved, he couldn't really help but tease her every now and then to watch her squirm.
Ashley's mouth dropped, stunned that Capa would even dare tease her about Mace again. She turned around swatting him on the leg with the wet washcloth he had been using to wet her head. Capa jumped as the cloth stung his leg, "Hey what the fuck was that for?" He asked while rubbing his leg. What a baby. It was just a little slap. "Don't even joke about that, you know I don't like Mace in that way anymore" she said biting her lip as she looked down, her mind filled with memories of their relationship, how Mace's anger issues was partly the reason why they broke up.
"You were in love with the little asshole at some point Ashley, we all know that" he said with a slight chuckle, even though deep inside it truly bothered him that she had a relationship months ago with the man that continuously made his life a living hell on a daily basis. Ashley let out a sigh, she wanted to tell Capa how she truly felt about him in hopes he would feel the same way about her. She knew the mission was extremely important to him and that he probably didn't want a relationship distracting him, and more importantly she feared that if she told him how she felt, it would make their friendship awkward. She quickly searched her mind that was clouded by her subconscious telling her to tell him, her heart was beating out of her chest and her breathing quickened. "But..." she started to say trying to find the right words that wouldn't make this incredibly awkward. She scooted a little closer to him putting her hand on his while staring into his beautiful blue eyes. Damn it. Those eyes. She took in a deep breath and began to speak again, "That was a long time ago Capa, I don't love him anymore." she said feeling her hands begin to sweat. This was it. She was about to confess her feelings to him. She paused for a moment and took in a deep breathe, lifting her hand up to his face and stroking his cheek lightly, the warmth of his face and the beauty of his eyes was enough to make her want to melt. " I am in love with you" she said softly, her words fading out at the end of the sentence, hoping maybe he didn't hear that last part.
Capa's eyes flickered as he flexed his jaw muscle, he was completely taken back by what Ashley had admitted to him at this very moment. He could feel his heart beating a little faster than before, he could feel happiness overwhelm him. This was something he had wanted to hear her say since they first met, he had always cherished their friendship but deep down he had always wanted more. His hand traced along the sheets to her hand and he gently placed it on top, letting his fingers stroke her skin. A smile immediately erupted on his face, his heart was so happy. Before he could say anything Kaneda entered the doorway lightly knocking on the door.
"Breakfast is ready." he said with a slight smile. "Okay we are coming" Capa said standing up and stretching. Kaneda turned his attention towards Ashley, concerned about her nightmares that she has had every night for the past month. "How are the dreams? Better or worse?" he asked her in a concerned voice while taking a seat beside her on the bed. "You are starting to sound like Searle" she said chuckling and rolling her eyes, "I'm fine, really, they are just dreams" she said shrugging her shoulders, her eyes trail away from Kaneda's and she looked down fiddling with her hands. Kaneda's took her hands into his, his eyes looked of worry, "These dreams trouble you" he said lifting her chin up to meet with his eye level. Ashley leaned forward, "These dreams trouble me or do they trouble you because they interfere with my work with the mission?" she said in a smart ass tone. She pulled her hands away from Kaneda's and proceeded to get up to walk over to where Capa was, hoping he would speak up and defend her in all of this.
Kaneda let out a sigh and stood up from the bed, "At least promise me you will go to Searle and talk to him about this" he said. Ashley looked at Capa first who stood there quiet, his arms crossed, every once in a while he would flex his jaw muscle for a moment. He was obviously clinching his teeth in annoyance of Kaneda but still, he stood there silent. Ashley's eyes met back with Kaneda, she let out a frustrated sigh, "Fine I will go see Searle as soon as I have some time okay?" she asked him hoping that this would be the end of the conversation for the time being.
A smile broke on Kaneda's face, "Excellent. Now come, the food is ready" he said before exiting the room. Upon entering the dining room of the ship, the aroma of food filled the air and at the table sat Harvey, Cassie, Corazon, Trey, Searle and Kaneda who had just taken a seat between Trey and Searle. Ashley and Capa took a seat at the table just as Mace was bringing out the food.
