Bookworms

Posted on 26 Jun 2016 @ 10:55pm by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

7,236 words; about a 36 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Captain's Quarters
Timeline: MD 2 || 2100 Hours

Joey found herself standing outside of the Cap... Harvey's quarters. Only moments ago, she'd been fighting an internal battle about whether or not she should actually do it, but here she was, which showed exactly what side of her brain won out. She couldn't quite explain why she wanted to help him break out of the shell he'd encased himself in, but she did, and if that meant popping up on him when he didn't expect it, then that was exactly what she was going to do. Like right now.

Tonight, she'd opted for comfort, choosing a pair of jeans with a Starfleet Academy t-shirt (Even though it had been years since she'd attended, she was still proud to be a graduate.) and a pair of white tennis shoes. In her hand, she held a black hardcover book, which she glanced down at and swallowed as apprehension began to weave its way through her. What if he already had it? What if he didn't want it? How would he react to her showing up to the only space on the ship that was his and his alone? Her thoughts were like a freight train threatening to derail at the turn just up ahead.

For a moment, she considered turning and walking away, but she'd already come this far. Why not see it to the end? This wasn't a fight or flight situation. She was a Starfleet Security Officer and found herself in far worse situations over the years, which meant she'd be able to do this. Her finger hovered just above the chime. But... what if he isn't alone, and she answers? That would make for an incredibly awkward situation, but then... she could simply give him the book and take her leave. A second wave of uncertainty coursed through her, and she looked up to see her finger was already on the sensor. With a look of surprise, she realized she'd just alerted him of her presence. Quickly, she pulled her hand back and stared at the traitorous digit.

While Joey stood in hesitation unbeknownst to him outside his quarters, Harvey again sat on the couch, holding his graduation present from his father. He'd had a fine evening earlier with Mila and her capuchin. And, with the ship nicely in the hands of Gamma Shift, Harvey had decided to retire to his quarters until the morning. The night was still young, and all of interaction with his crew and getting to know certain individuals had actually made him a bit homesick. He'd never felt this way before, and the only possible relative feeling was the hurt that followed after learning of Alison's death.

Of course, those were two very different feelings and emotions. For the first time in years, he actually wanted to call his parents and just say hello. He'd never told them he made Captain, much less venture out into the Gamma Quadrant. After all, they'd rarely taken an interest in his life aside from making sure he would not wind up like his brother and sister.

With communications to the Alpha Quadrant impossible, the closest thing he had to his father was the book in his hand. Even now, with his desire to reconnect, Harvey found himself still unable to connect with the text and permit his imagination to render the scenes and dialogue. When the chime echoed from the concealed speakers, Harvey felt instant relief followed by trepidation. The last time he'd picked up this book, sat on the couch and was rescued by the chime, he'd had a visit from Mackenzie. She'd professed his love, and he hurt her for it by not returning a mutual feeling, a decision that still left some regret within him. He doubted the person on the other side of the wall had the same feeling, after all the only woman that would visit him in his cabin at this hour would be the one he was seeing, and Harvey highly doubted she'd be as emotional as his former first officer.

Still, Harvey would not chance it. He set the book on the coffee table and rose to answer the door. Just about anyone could be on the other side, and though he had traded his uniform for a pair of jeans and navy button down shirt, Harvey would maintain an air of professionalism in case it were a member of the senior staff who had arrived with an issue that wouldn't wait.

He stood on his side of the door and calmly tapped the control to open the door. "Joey?" he asked suddenly, surprised and strangely happy to see her there.

Joey was still staring at her traitorous digit when the door opened, but it was the sound of her name that brought her back to reality. She lowered her hand back to her side and turned her attention to the man who had just opened the door. For whatever reason, and she couldn't explain it if anyone asked, all the hesitation and uncertainty just seemed to melt away. Perhaps, her anxiety had everything to do with the fact she'd kissed him the night before, but he didn't exactly look as though he was unhappy to see her standing there. Did that mean... he hadn't minded it?

She swallowed, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Hi, Harvey. I know this is your sanctuary, but I came across something I thought you might enjoy. Hopefully, it isn't something that's already in your collection."

"Oh?" Harvey asked, surprised by the gesture. "Come in," he said, stepping aside to invite her inside. It was a move somewhat orchestrated by pride. After all, how would it look with a spotless woman standing at his door that wasn't a member of the senior staff?

It was a move also prompted by a budding friendship. He couldn't bear the thought of her standing outside just to give him something thoughtful. "Can I offer you a drink?" he asked.

"No, thank you," Joey said as she walked inside, taking a second to look around before she turned to look back at him. This was the second time she'd seen him today, the first being during his impromptu inspection, but she made no secret about being nothing but professional when she was in uniform. Unless, one of her colleagues decided to tell a story about being caught with her pants down, or the Captain cracking a joke about it.

"I found myself looking through the medical section last night, and came across this," She said, holding the book out to him. "His last name is what actually caught my attention." And she'd found herself thinking about him, otherwise, she wouldn't have been browsing the medical section of the computer's library database to begin with.

"Ah, yes," Harvey said, reading the name of the author of the fine hardcover book. "William Harvey is required reading for anyone desiring to practice medicine." There, of course, was the question of why Joey was in the medical section of the ship's library, but he figured that business was not his to know. "Do you know much about him?"

"I had a feeling you may have read it already, but what kind of life would it be if I didn't take the chance?" She gestured to the book. "I glanced through it a little bit, but I don't know much about the man, no. I don't suppose you'd want to tell me about him?"

"Seventeenth Century English physician," Harvey said, thumbing through the pages of the book. "Best known for discovering how the circulation system functions in humans. Basically redefined medical practices at the time, and set the foundation for everything to come."

At that moment, Harvey moved behind the couch to where his trunk of personal belongings were and opened it. After a moment of rummaging, he pulled out another book and showed it to Joey. It was well-worn, and even contained several handwritten notes that Harvey had made. "I found this in an antique shop years ago. It's a twentieth century printing of Harvey's De Motu Cordis. I picked it up when I was in high school as I was just starting to study medicine."

Joey looked the book over and smiled. It was definitely nice to see him in his own element this time. He was comfortable here, but she still had every intention of getting him away to do more on occasion. "I should probably read some of these on my down time. I'm actually a SAR Medical Technician. It's not nearly as impressive as being a doctor is, though."

"SAR?" Harvey echoed. He was aware of the program, especially in the chapter Camila was attempting to organize aboard the ship. "I think we all have our special talents. Being a doctor or a captain is no more impressive than those willing to lay down their lives for another." Harvey then looked around his empty quarters. He'd been aboard for eight months now, and his quarters still looked like he just arrived yesterday. Save for a single photograph on his desk, and the well-worn but never read book on the coffee table, the room was devoid of many things.

"I suppose now is a good time to start filling that bookshelf," Harvey said, taking both the gifted book and De Motu Cordis to place on the shelf.

"I think it's as good a time as any," Joey said. "You're right, too. At the end of the day, no matter what the vast majority of us do, we all have the same goal in mind. To protect. For most of us, it's in our nature." She looked toward the picture on his desk, then back over to him. "How long did you stay in the holodeck practicing after I left?"

Harvey paused as he put the first of the two books on the shelf. He knew he stayed for a while that night, but he also paid no attention to the clock. The holodeck was unusually free that evening with no one booked on the roster. "I'm not sure," he confessed. "I think I held a wave for about ten seconds or so at my peak."

Joey grinned. "That's actually pretty impressive, and I'm still proud of you. It's a rather exhilarating sport, but most people get disconcerted by it because of wiping out. To me, that's all part of the fun." She took a step back to give him access to his trunk in case he wanted to unpack anything else. "So, you told me you like books and medical papers..." And the gym, based on the body you have, but she wasn't going to say that out loud. "What are some of the simpler things you like? Color, food, animal... things like that."

"When a baby falls after taking his first steps, does the child not try again and again?" Harvey asked with a sly smile. "I think it's one of the most perfect and dangerous of human traits, the ability to defy the odds and continue trying in the midst of any form of adversity." Having enough with philosophy, he placed the last book on the shelf and turned back to Joey. "Blue is my favorite color. As for food, I eat just about anything."

He had a point, but babies were a lot more resilient than most adults were, and considering how eager Harvey was to get back up to try again meant he was pretty resilient, too. "Seems like we have something in common. Blue is my favorite color as well. It makes me think of the sky and waters back home," She said. Her plan was to continue cracking away at the shell he had around himself, and by asking him the little things, it was a step in the right direction. "Where did you grow up?"

"Denver," Harvey answered simply. He almost asked her by way of reflex, but he recalled that last night she'd taken to him to a familiar childhood home. "Stayed on the mainland for most of my life, and San Francisco was my first real look at the ocean."

"San Francisco is a pretty great place. I got caught sneaking back in well after curfew a few times my freshman year at the academy, though. Getting out was a lot easier, but those were definitely not some of my finer moments. I was given a choice... straighten up and prove I really wanted to be there, or get the boot and end up who knows where. I got over my wild child streak really quick and hit the books," Joey said, settling down on the arm of his couch. "Did you ever sneak out or get one of those wild hair moments where you just needed to rebel?"

Harvey chuckled, walking over to the couch and gestured to Joey that she could sit there. He hesitated for a moment, considering joining her there, but chose the armchair instead. "Wild hair moments, no," he confessed. "But, I did have a problem with authority. Even my first Supervising Officer didn't know what to do with me on the Logos. If it hadn't been curing Edlund's Disease, I probably would have found myself stuck in a quiet corner of the galaxy or on a long-range ship never meant to return."

Joey stood and settled on the couch itself, crossing her legs once she was comfortable. "So, tell Counselor Joey why you think you had a problem with authority." Part of her was kidding, but a larger part of her had a feeling there was a much bigger picture there. "But before you do... just let me say how sad the galaxy would have been had you been stuck in a quiet corner or long-range ship. And curing a disease? That's more impressive."

Harvey shook his head. "Nothing fancy, really," he said. "Another one of those run-of-the-mill nervous system disorders." The details of which he'd save for another day. He also smirked at her addressing herself as Counselor. This was his second impromptu session today, and his second with a non-certified Counselor. "What about your wild streak?" Harvey said, wanting to turn the spotlight away from himself at least for a minute. "What made you want to sneak out of the Academy so often?"

"I've always had a bit of a wild streak in me, and it's still there, just not as bad as it was when I was younger. That's probably because a lot of the things I used to do back then are legal for me now, though." She leaned back and thought about those days gone by... about how close she'd come to losing it all. "It was an authority thing for me, too. I didn't like the fact that there were so many people telling me what I could and couldn't do... when I could do them... who I could do them with. I already had parents, and didn't need dozens more."

Joey shook her head. "I got caught by an Admiral the last time. You know... when you're eighteen years old and an Admiral catches you trying to sneak back in after you've been out for a couple hours... it's pretty scary. It didn't help that he was one of my instructors, either. I had to see him every single day my freshman year." Thinking about it made her shiver. "He basically spelled it out for me. Either straighten up and prove myself, or hit the bricks and know that I failed because of stupid choices. Here I am, protecting the very thing I wanted to rebel against all those years ago."

He smiled. "And you've done fairly well," he remarked. "At least according to your service record." Realizing that he'd switched into Captain mode, he quickly sidestepped. "Oh, the people I pissed off in my early years... One of them was my Academy roommate. Incredibly talented engineer. And a good guy, but don't ever tell him that I said that. I used to love messing with him. Moving things around the room, changing his appointments, among other things. He followed me from the Academy and then we finally parted ways until just recently."

"Until recently? Does that mean you've gotten in touch with him again?" She asked, leaning forward a bit. Now she was definitely intrigued. He'd already opened up to her a bit the past couple days, but he was offering even more into the mystery that was his past. "Is he in the Gamma Quadrant with us?"

Harvey nodded in confirmation. "He's my superior officer now. Commodore O'Connell."

"That's... rather impressive. I'm glad that the two of you were able to find one another again." She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. "So... you like playing jokes on people, huh?" The wheels in her head were already starting to turn. "Has anyone ever pranked you before?"

"One of the medical techs early in my career placed dye into the sanitization gel we used at Starbase 211. My hands were blue for a week." Harvey shook his head and smiled, thinking about that for the first time in years. "I wasn't too happy with the tech, mainly because I had to go to a conference to speak. Speaking of which, if you're ever asked to be a speaker, don't do it."

Joey couldn't help but laugh as she pictured him standing in front of a room full of people with blue hands. Oh, to have been there to witness that first hand. He definitely wouldn't have lived it down for quite some time afterward. "Speaking in front of large crowds doesn't really bother me, but you know what my next question is going to be. Why not?"

"I don't like large crowds," Harvey replied. "I used to like showing off, but in small settings. Of course, this was all before the war." He sighed, thinking of the one medical conference he had been forced to speak at. "Showing off to a room that doesn't care makes you feel pretty small. They don't care that you did it, or how you did it. They just want to critique your work saying you should have done this or that."

Rising to her feet, she moved over to the armchair he was sitting in and slipped an arm around his shoulders, then rested her cheek on top of his head. "There are total jerks every where, and they come in many shapes, sizes and species. But, just know that everyone here... we all appreciate what you have to say and will listen to it. Sometimes some of us might not agree, but we'll listen. If it makes you feel any better, I prefer smaller groups, too. Spent too many times nearly getting my head blown off in larger ones."

Harvey was momentarily taken aback by her move. He knew very well from the previous night how forward Joey could be; she did kiss him after all. "Thank you," he said, touched by her gesture. "This is the finest group I've ever commanded." It was the only group he'd ever commanded, though there had been a significant amount of turnover over the last few months. "And, I think I'll find a few friends in it."

"You're welcome, and I know you will. You've got one right here." She sat up again and removed her arm from his shoulders as to not make him uncomfortable, then she moved back over to the couch to settle down again. "Sorry. I need to remember that you aren't exactly single. I don't need anyone trying to beat me within an inch of my life or anything." Not that most people could.

As she relocated to the couch, Harvey leaned forward. He didn't reach for her or try to stop her, but he did have something to tell her. "Actually," he said. "I am exactly single. Jayla... Doctor Kij... And I are no longer together."

"I... I'm sorry to hear that, Harvey," Joey said softly. "I know breakups aren't an easy thing to deal with. Just know that if you do ever want to talk, I'll listen."

Harvey shook his head. "It's not really a breakup as we never formally classified our relationship." Harvey looked up at her, hoping to meet her gaze and not anything else. "I have been single for a long time, but I've allowed myself to be defined by..." Harvey looked down, actually expecting to see his uniform there but was greeted by his blue button up shirt instead. "By this," he said, removing the combadge from his shirt. "Before I can be with anyone again, I need to remember who I am."

"It seems to me that you're on your way to rediscovering the man that wears the uniform," She said, offering him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "You need friends, support and people who genuinely care about Harvey outside of your four pips. I've got your best interests at heart. I want you to break down the years worth of walls you've built around yourself. I want you to have fun. I want to live. It's just a matter of finding a way to balance Harvey and Captain Geisler."

She moved over to his chair once again and settled on the floor so she was looking up at him. "I haven't known you that long, Harvey, but I can tell that you want to give your all in trying. You proved that to me last night in the holodeck. I know you can do this, and you've got me on your side every step of the way."

He returned her smile, grateful that with her proximity to him that he didn't feel guilty or nervous. "Thank you, Joey. I haven't known you long either, and I'm grateful for what you've done and the friendship that we are beginning." He paused for a moment. "We are, uh, friends, right? Is that how this works?"

Joey smiled up at him. "Yes, Harvey, we are friends. It's not over yet, though, and I'm going to keep pushing you to do things you may have never tried before. Like..." She looked thoughtful, then lit up. "hula dancing. How good are you at moving your hips?"

"Hula dancing?" Harvey echoed, tensing up, but not nearly as much as he'd done the night before. "Alison never did care that I rarely danced with her," he remarked.

At the mention of Alison, Joey found herself wanting to comfort him again, but she didn't think it would really help matters. Though, she was pretty sure his late wife would be incredibly proud of the great strides he was making toward a happier life. "Dancing isn't so bad, and it's just the two of us here, so no one else is going to see it. I'm not judgmental, either. Do you want me to show you how it's done first?" She asked him with a smile, hoping he'd at least be willing to see what it was about before dismissing the idea entirely.

Last night was enough proof that she wouldn't be judgmental. It wasn't that he was bad at dancing, he just never really cared to put forth the effort. He was inclined to resist, but surfing was something he'd never considered before, and that had been much more enjoyable than he ever thought. Rather than verbally replying, he simply gestured to the open space on the other side of the coffee table for her to demonstrate the hula.

After he gave her nonverbal permission to demonstrate, Joey moved over to the side of the couch to slip her shoes off. Along with surfing, hula dancing was one of her favorite things to do, but come to think of it... anything that had to do with home was her favorite thing to do. Right now, she was just excited to have the chance to show her moves off to someone. Part of her was fairly certain Harvey had never seen anything quite like it in person before. "Hula dancing actually serves a purpose in Hawaiian culture. Normally, it's accompanied by a chant or song, and is used to portray the words. It's normally very fast paced, but I'm going to try to slow it down a bit so you can see the moves."

With her shoes safely out of the way, and her standing in the spot he's gestured to, Joey grabbed the hem of her shirt and raised it so she could knot it just beneath her bust. Despite life on a starship, she still had a natural tan, and definitely worked out to keep herself in peak physical condition, though he'd probably have noticed that during their surfing lesson. She hoped he wouldn't go into panic mode once skin was shown, and found herself willing him to be calm. How else was she going to show him a dance where most of the movements came from the hips if he wasn't able to see them?

Joey put her right foot forward and brought it back, then pointed her left foot forward before bringing it back also. "This is called the Hela," she said as she went straight into the next move, rotating around while swaying her hips. "This is the Huli.

She shifted into a sliding step instead of moving her feet, moving side to side, front to back and diagonally. "The Kaholo gives the impression of sliding along while you move to keep the flow of the dance," she told him while she swayed her hips by shifting her weight to her right side and lifted her left heel. She switched her weight to her left side and raised her right heel. "The Ka'o allows for easier hip swaying."

She began to step. First right, then left before she moved forward and back while maintaining the other moves. "This is the Lele, which is simple to do," she explained as she crossed her hands over her chest to show embracing love. "The Love Hand Movement demonstrates embracing love." Not stopping, she moved her hands to gently beat up and down on the air. "And the Ocean Hand movement to show the rhythm of the waves."

Joey moved both of her hands to the left until her palms met, then lifted her right hand and shaped an arching rainbow. "The Rainbow Hand Movement describes a rainbow while the Rising Sun Hand Movement." she brought her hands to her knees, parted them and raised them above her head to shape the sun.

"The Singing Hand movement is also simple," she said as she gracefully gestured at her mouth for song, her hips still doing the Huli and her feet moving to the Lele. Still watching him, she moved her left hand horizontal while her right arm and fingers swayed to show a waving palm. "This is the Swaying Palm Hand Movement."

Finally, she brought her left hand forward while her right hand circled twice over her head before bringing them in front of her to roll them over each other. "Finally, the Swirling Hand and Tide Roll Hand Movements. Those are all the basic steps of the Hula," she told him with a smile.

Once she'd demonstrated the basic steps, Joey squared her feet and closed her eyes. Now, it was time for him to see the entire thing the way it was meant to be seen. Sadly, he wouldn't get the full effect because she wasn't wearing the traditional attire for such a thing, but it was probably for the best. Maybe one day. For now, her low rise jeans and t-shirt would suffice. She pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then began to put all the steps she showed him earlier into the fast paced dance that was the hula.

Harvey had leaned forward in his chair, watching carefully as she demonstrated and explained each of the steps, and it wasn't until she kicked into high gear with the full blown dance. Until that moment, he'd thought the dance would be rather simple. This would certainly require more effort on his part than surfing. He studied her every move, at least as much as he could without being more than momentarily distracted by her appearance.

He did smile as he watched, still wondering with every move how he'd be able to do this. He did think that it would certainly require more than one lesson. "I might need some time before I can do that," he said at last, still smiling. "You did say that hula dancing had a cultural purpose. What would that be?"

"Hula actually started out as dance for social enjoyment, but the chants that normally accompany it tells epic tales, myths, history and philosophy. Some of the tales that are told describe mythic beginnings of hula, but the most often heard is probably Pele and her sister Hi`iaka. According to legend, hula was first born with Pele begged her sisters to dance and sing for her. It was only Hi`iaka who stepped forward. She used the movements I just demonstrated she practiced with her friend Hopoe," Joey said, then made her way back over to the couch to settle down once again. She was a bit surprised he hadn't decided to toss the idea of learning out immediately after seeing it, and that made her even prouder of him. "It's basically used as a form of tribute to Pele. It was actually labelled as the heathen dance in the year eighteen-twenty."

"Why the change?" Harvey asked, thinking it had something to do with cultural assimilation or political correctness. He was also surprised that she'd sat back down as opposed to remaining standing. It was likely for the best as even though he studied her movements as carefully as possible, Harvey doubted he would be able at all to replicate them appropriately.

"In eighteen-seventy-four, King David Kalakaua came to reign over Hawaii, and hula dancers were once again welcomed publicly. A new form of the hula was created with a combination of poetry that is a chanted vocal performance, dance movements, and costumes. It is called the Hula Ku`i, meaning to 'combine the old and the new'," She replied, getting to her feet again with a grin. "On your feet. Let's see what you can do. I'll help you."

He couldn't back out now. Harvey stood, nervously of course, and walked around the coffee table. He stood now across from her, already shoeless as he'd taken those off when he arrived a while ago to his quarters. Harvey didn't feel his clothing would hinder any movements, especially since the primary hinderance would be his lack of experience. "So, uh, what's first?"

"Did you ever play with a hula hoop when you were little?" Joey asked as she closed the distance between the two of them. It was about the easiest way to mimic some of the movements when just starting out.

Harvey shook his head. "Never had a reason too," he confessed. "Actually, I think the first time I saw a hula hoop was at the Academy."

"We should get you a hula hoop then. It actually helps. The upper body stays relatively still except for the arms while the hips and shifting weight does all of the work, and a hula hoop mimics that pretty well," She said, smiling at him. "Plus, I think you'd have fun with it. It's time to bring out your inner child."

He chuckled. Harvey was over forty years old, and he was being advised to get in touch with his inner child. Did he even have one? "Alas," he said, "I don't have a hula hoop in my possession. It's probably even too big for the replicator. Can we do without?"

"We can. First thing... spread your feet about shoulder width apart. We're not going to start with the weight shifting just yet, so you don't have to worry about moving them." As she stood in front of him, she placed one hand on his hip, then placed the other against his chest before looking him in the eyes. "Let me know when you're ready."

He was certain Joey could feel the increase in his heart rate the very moment she placed her hands on him. Harvey took a deep breath and said, "Ready." He really wasn't, but Harvey was not going to stand there for five minutes waiting to actually be ready.

Joey did feel his heart rate increase, which prompted her to give him a reassuring smile while she held his gaze. "Relax. I promise I'm not going to kiss you again. The next time it happens, if it happens, you're going to have to kiss me." With her hand on his chest to keep it still, she used the hand on his hip to move it in the direction she wanted it to go in.

Harvey quickly eased into the pressure at his hip, swaying as directed by her prompts. He gave no response to her comment about kissing, but he did focus entirely on the matter at hand. He was not much of a dancer, and already he could tell he needed to concentrate more than he thought.

"Let's take a different approach to this. I'm going to put your hands on my hips, and you're going to mimic what I do. Just relax... no tensing up... keep yourself loose." She removed her hands from his chest and hip before taking his to place on her hips. Hopefully, he wouldn't have a heart attack under her watch. That'd be pretty hard to explain to medical personnel. "Here we go. Keep your eyes on mine, too. If you look down, you'll lose focus." With that, she started to do the basic step of rocking her hips back and forth while her upper body stayed in place.

With her being so close, Harvey doubted he'd be able to see her waist. he did as he was told, keeping his eyes locked on hers. It wasn't a totally unusual feeling, his hands placed on the hips of another, nor did his mind go elsewhere with that feeling. He did his best to keep himself loose, and swayed just as she did.

"See? You're actually doing it," Joey said with a smile. Granted, they weren't actually getting into the true form of hula dancing just yet, but he was mimicking exactly what she was doing, which made her proud. She was quite sure he was so far out of his comfort zone it'd take hours of reading medical journals to get him back to it again. "I'm quite proud of you for even trying. I know this isn't an easy thing for you."

"Thank you," he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on hers. "Though I'm a little apprehensive as to what will be following surfing and hula." Realizing that that could be taken negatively, he quickly added, "Not that I'm not willing to explore, but I do enjoy your teaching and patience."

Joey definitely didn't take it the wrong way. "Maybe... we can abandon the Hawaiian theme and go for something a bit more physical." Now, she was sure that would be taken the wrong way. "With mixed martial arts, I mean."

Harvey chuckled, still mimicking her movements. "Now that is something I'm surely not ready for," he told her. "We'll stick with the Hawaiian theme for now. After all, I'm sure there's more to hula than swaying as we are."

She smiled, increasing her pace just a touch. "There's definitely more to it, and you do realize you're currently dancing, don't you?" There was a lot of pride in her when it dawned on her they were actually dancing, even if it was a slow one.

He followed his instincts, which was to look down at his feet, and that attempt at looking down was indeed blocked, causing him to adjust his neck so he could indeed see the floor. "Well," he remarked, looked back up at her. "What do you know?"

"Surprising, isn't it?" Joey asked, taking one of his hands from her hip and slipping hers into it. It wasn't exactly hula dancing anymore, but it was still something she was sure he wasn't quite accustomed to doing. "I think you can do anything as long as you don't overthink it. Living is all about taking chances and doing things you may not be comfortable with so at the end of the day you can say... I tried."

"I can't argue with that," Harvey replied. This evening had been incredible, birthed from what was meant to be a simple gift. "And certainly did more than try," he added with a smile. Harvey thought she'd been more successful than she knew.

"Just don't second guess yourself." She lifted their hands and spun in a full circle before moving back to the way they were seconds ago. Still, Joey couldn't believe she had him up and dancing. It amazed her that she'd been able to get him to do things he likely never would have tried without a little push.

Harvey couldn't deny how positive he felt at this experience, but he also knew that this wasn't exactly the intended result. In fact, it was producing entirely different results within his mind, causing long-buried memories to resurface. Until this, he'd only danced twice in his life, and both were at his wedding. He didn't feel guilt at this experience, but both pain and joy. It became almost too much for him, and he did stop moving, closed his eyes, and bowed his head to savor the memory before it got too painful.

When he stopped dancing, Joey released his hand almost immediately and took a step back. She could see pain on his face, which brought guilt to her own. She wasn't entirely sure what happened, but she had a theory. She'd pushed him too hard. "I'm sorry, Harvey." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she pulled the knot free from her shirt and lowered it back to its rightful place. "I probably shouldn't have done that. It was too much." Again, her voice was barely above a whisper. She moved over to the couch and settled down to start putting her shoes back on.

"No..." Harvey said, opening his eyes to find that Joey had moved away. "It's, uh, it's all right. I was just... I'm sorry.... For a moment, I was actually somewhere I never thought I'd be again. Thank you."

Joey shook her head, forgetting her shoes for the moment. "You don't need to apologize, Harvey. It's okay. I..." What did she want to say? For some reason words were eluding her. "I didn't mean to do anything that might cause you any pain."

Harvey didn't know what to say either. The memory had been both painful and pleasant, but it certainly put a damper on what they were doing. "It's not your fault," he told her, walking over to the couch and sitting beside her. "There's no way you could have known."

"Maybe not," She answered softly. "But, I shouldn't have taken it to that point, or brought attention to it. She's always going to be with you no matter what, Harvey, and I know she'd be incredibly proud of the what you've already accomplished in such a short time. I think I should probably go so you can have some time to process things." Once again, she reached for her shoes and began to put them on.

He sat in silence, even more unsure now what to say or do. Harvey felt like he had hurt her, and it wasn't his fault or hers. In fact, he could not say a word as her shoes were put back on her feet. "Joey..." he said at last. "When I'm ready, I would like to continue dancing." He knew that the evening itself would not recover, but he did not want her to stay away.

"When you're ready," Joey said softly. Funny thing... while he was feeling as though he'd hurt her... she had the same feeling that she'd hurt him. It was eating away at her. She turned her upper body to face him and leaned in to hug him, pressing a kiss to his temple as she did so. Yes, she'd promised she wouldn't kiss him earlier, but this one was quite different. It, and the hug, were gestures to let him know that she still cared and had no plans on giving up on him. But, just in case it didn't come across... "I'm not giving up on you, Harvey, and I still care a great deal."

He smiled, albeit weakly. Harvey was grateful that she would not give up, and neither would he. This day had told Harvey two things. First, he had a lot to work through and second, there were plenty around him who would be by his side as he worked through it. Harvey gently returned the embrace, noting it was a gesture of friendship and not romance. They would be okay, Joey and Harvey. "Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome, Harvey," Joey said softly. She held him for a second longer before she pulled back to give him his personal space again. "If you'd rather not be alone, I don't mind sticking around for a bit longer. We can watch a movie or play cards. I can tell you a story." She smiled at the last bit, hoping it might get one out of him, too. "I know all sorts of stories."

His weak smile remained. As much as he'd like to hear a story or play cards, he didn't want to push away that memory just yet. "Another time, perhaps," he said gently, hoping it wasn't going to be received as hurtful.

"I need to get back to Rico, too. It's going to be okay, Harvey, I promise. If you need me, you know where to find me. I'll see you soon." She gave his arm a gentle, yet reassuring squeeze, then rose to her feet and made her way to the door. Turning her head to look at him one last time, a frown formed on her lips, then she walked out into the hall. As the door closed behind her, a lone tear rolled down her cheek, but it wasn't for her. It was for him.

Harvey watched her leave. He had no idea how long he'd been staring at the closed door, but it had to have been at least a minute. Never before had his quarters sounded so quiet. At last his eyes moved, but not to a place he'd thought they'd go, choosing to settle on the nearby trunk. Inside it was his entire life. And, if he was ever going to move past his past, he'd have to empty that trunk.

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