Pancakes
Posted on Fri Jan 31st, 2025 @ 10:50pm by Lieutenant Ame Solis M.D.
Edited on on Sun Feb 2nd, 2025 @ 3:01pm
Mission:
Character Development
Timeline: Pandora's Box: MD04 Night
926 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Ame stirred in the soft golden light that spilt through the open shutters, the gentle chirping of birds mingling with the rustle of leaves outside. The faint scent of pancakes and coffee teased her senses, grounding her in a rare and peaceful contentment.
The warm, familiar weight of an arm draped over her waist made her smile before she even opened her eyes. When she did, she was greeted by the sight of Jackson’s face inches from hers, slack with the deep relaxation of sleep. His sandy curls fell messily over his forehead, and the faint shadow of stubble softened his sharp jawline.
She let her gaze linger, drinking in the peace etched into his features. Here, in this moment, all the worries of their lives seemed worlds away.
Suddenly, a small giggle broke the silence.
“Mommy! Daddy!”
The bed dipped as a small, energetic bundle climbed onto it, their laughter bubbling over like a brook. Ame sat up slightly, propping herself on one elbow as a toddler threw themselves onto Jackson’s chest with a dramatic flop.
Jackson groaned theatrically, cracking one eye open. “Hey there, kiddo,” he mumbled, his voice a mix of sleep and warmth. “You sure know how to make an entrance.”
The child didn’t answer, too busy trying to wrestle Jackson’s arm off his face. They were a perfect blend of the two of them, soft sandy curls framing a faintly ridged nose, and those eyes, dark blue and full of mischief.
“You’re gonna regret that,” Jackson warned playfully, catching the child’s small hands in his own. In an instant, the two were locked in a mock wrestling match, Jackson growling like a bear while the toddler squealed with delight.
“Daddy, nooo!” they shrieked, trying to pin his arms down.
Ame couldn’t help but laugh as Jackson let out an exaggerated grunt of defeat, falling back onto the pillows as the child climbed triumphantly onto his chest.
“I give up!” he declared, throwing his hands in the air. “You win, partner. You’re the strongest in all of Texas!”
The toddler beamed, raising their arms in a victory pose. “Pancakes!” they declared, pointing dramatically toward the door.
“Oh, is that what this is about?” Jackson asked, arching an eyebrow at Ame, who was struggling not to laugh. “All this trouble for pancakes?”
The child nodded emphatically, their curls bouncing.
“Well, I guess I’ve got no choice,” Jackson sighed. “But only on one condition...”
The toddler tilted their head, curious.
Jackson’s grin turned devilish as he suddenly grabbed them and blew a loud raspberry on their belly. The child shrieked with laughter, writhing in his arms as he tickled them mercilessly.
“Nooo! Daddy, stop!”
“Never!” he replied, planting another raspberry on their side. “This is the price for pancakes!”
Finally, he relented, hoisting the giggling toddler onto his hip as he sat up. Dressed in nothing but his boxers, Jackson swung his legs over the side of the bed, shooting Ame a cheeky grin.
“You coming, Doc, or do I have to make these pancakes all by myself?”
Ame shook her head, smiling as she nestled deeper into the blankets. “I think you’ve got this covered, flyboy.”
Jackson gave her a mock salute, then turned toward the door, the toddler still wriggling in his arms. “Pancake duty it is!”
Ame listened as their laughter echoed down the hallway, the sound wrapping around her like a warm blanket. It was perfect, too perfect. And then it hit her.
The air seemed to shift, the light dulling as cracks began to spiderweb through the idyllic scene. A lump rose in her throat as realization bled in. This wasn’t real. It never had been.
The familiar ache bloomed in her chest as she sat upright, the cosy warmth of the blankets suddenly feeling suffocating. She blinked, and the golden light faded completely, replaced by the sterile glow of the stars outside her viewport.
Ame opened her eyes to the stillness of her quarters, the faint hum of the ship the only sound. She was alone, her arms instinctively reaching for a warmth that wasn’t there.
The space beside her was empty, untouched. She sat up slowly, her eyes catching on the window. Outside, the USS Spruance hung in the distance, its familiar silhouette illuminated by the light of a nearby star.
She sat there for a long moment, staring at the ship as her thoughts churned.
It wasn’t real. None of it was real.
Her chest tightened, the echoes of laughter and love from the dream fading into the cold reality of what was. She pressed a hand to her eyes, willing the sharp sting of tears to retreat.
Jackson was trying, she knew that. But what if trying wasn’t enough? What if they couldn’t find their way back to the version of themselves she had seen in that dream?
Her mind nagged at her, whispering doubts she had tried so hard to silence. Was this failure hers? Theirs? She didn’t know, and that uncertainty cut deep.
For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder, to hope. Could they have that life? The one in the dream? Could they laugh like that again, love like that again? Could they raise a child together, a child who carried the best of both of them?
She swallowed hard and tore her gaze from the window, her chest heavy. The answers weren’t here, in this room. They were out there, somewhere
