Rest and Relaxation

Posted on 30 Sep 2016 @ 1:16am by Commander Terry Walsh & Lieutenant JG Daniella Blake

5,845 words; about a 29 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Deck 4 || Terry's Quarters
Timeline: MD 7 || 2200 Hours

After heading back to her quarters and taking a shower, Dani made quick work of getting dressed. She was still a bit unsure about whether doing this was a good idea or not, but the few hours she slept the night before was the best she'd slept in a while. Considering the way things were going presently, a good night's sleep was definitely something everyone needed. That was all it took for her to solidify her decision, and so, she reached for the bag she'd already packed and made her way into the main living area.

She took a quick look around and lowered the lights before making her way out into the corridor. As Dani made her way to the nearest turbolift, she couldn't help but think about Terry and what he'd think about her showing up at his quarters again... with a bag. She didn't think he'd read too much into it, and since she wasn't nearly as tired as she was the day before, sleeping on the couch wouldn't be a huge deal for her. If he'd even allow her to do that.

The ride to deck four was a short one, and as she stepped back out into the corridor, a smile formed on her lips. She couldn't wait to see him again. When she'd left in the wee hours of the morning to make her way back to sickbay, she'd been as quiet as she possibly could be as to not wake him, but something had possessed her to kiss him while he slept. Still, he didn't wake up, which she was grateful for. It made leaving a bit easier for her, but now, she was standing outside his door once again. With no hesitation, she reached out to press the chime and waited.

It had been a very long and very crazy day with everything that had happened. He had considered going to the gym, but quickly dismissed that. Getting out of uniform and into something more comfortable was the name of the game tonight. So after enjoying a long shower, Terry put on a gray t-shirt emblazoned with the word 'guilty' and a pair of sweat pants. Definitely hang around the quarters clothes. He then went to what he calls his wine cellar, which is just a simple cooling unit specifically for wine bottles that mimics the atmosphere of a wine cellar, and removed a bottle of Chateau Clinet Pomerol.

All Terry wanted to do at this point was enjoy a glass or two of the Chateau and put his feet up. He didn't even want anything to eat anything. He poured himself a glass and took the bottle to the little table at the end of his couch and sat down. He barely got his first taste down when the door chime rang. Rather than call out, he went over activated the panel himself. When the door opened, he saw Dani standing there.

"Oh, hey, come on in," he said, and stepped to the side.

Dani smiled up at him. Like him, her attire was designed to relax. Her uniform had long been ditched in a heap on her bedroom floor and after a shower, a pair of black yoga pants and a black t-shirt with the words 'spider monkey' written in pink, were worn in its place. It was more than time to be comfortable all things considered. "Hey. You're not busy, are you?" she asked, moving inside and hoping her bag would go unnoticed for the time being.

"Me? Busy? Not a chance," he said. They both stepped out of the way of the sensor and the door swished closed. He grinned, having seen 'spider monkey' on her shirt, and recalled their first meeting in the pool when she had torpedoed him. She had said something about being a feisty spider monkey. "Have a seat if you'd like," he said. "I was just kicking back for a while."

"First.." she said, placing her hands on either side of his face and urging him to bend down a little bit so she could kiss him softly. "Now that that's out of the way, I will sit." With a smile, she made her way over to the couch to put her bag down, then made herself comfortable on the couch. "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't mind having another sleepover. Last night was the best night's sleep I've had in as long as I could remember."

Terry smiled. Yeah, feisty spider monkey... He enjoyed the kiss and wondered why he didn't think of it first. "Well alright then," he said, and followed her to the couch. He sat down and picked up his glass of wine. "Another sleepover, huh? Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind." He chuckled a bit and continued. "Especially if it'll help you get a good night's sleep. You really need it in medical. I'm just glad you were okay with me slipping into the bed. I thought I might get booted back to this too small couch." He took a drink of his wine.

"It's your bed," the petite blonde said with a smile. "I wouldn't boot you out of it. In fact, I remember waking up snuggled against you. That was a little shocking, but not really unwelcome. You can definitely have your bed tonight, and I'll take the couch. I'll be okay out here."

"I know, but still..." He let it trail off, deciding to leave it alone since everything was okay. "I must have slept pretty soundly. I don't remember you snuggling against me. Although, I do remember feeling an arm over me at one point. I never thought anything about it at the time. Anyway, you don't need to take the couch. I'll figure out something, even if it's a repeat of last night."

Dani moved over to him so she could snuggle up against him. "I don't take up that much room, so we can always share the bed if you want to. We've already done it, so it gets rid of the awkwardness. I definitely don't mind."

Terry raised his arm so that Dani could snuggle better. Once she was settled, he put his arm on the back of the couch. "No, you don't take up much room. Yes, it does get rid of the awkwardness. And no, I wouldn't mind, either. Now, it seems I've forgotten my manners. At the risk of having you move, can I get you something to drink?"

"I'm okay for now, but thank you. Besides, I don't want you to have to get up on my behalf," she said as she reached up to pull his arm over her shoulders. If he didn't want it there, he could move it again. "I sort of came prepared, just in case you were okay with me staying over again. I brought a bag with me."

"Alright," he said. "Later it is." When she pulled his arm down around her shoulder, he didn't move it. He kinda liked it. So much so, in fact, that he let his hand fall down to her upper arm. Then her next statement caught him off guard just a bit, but he didn't let it show. He thought it was kinda sweet that she came prepared. And even more so that she expected him to say yes. "So, you won't be needing the shirt from last time?"

Dani blushed bright red at the mention of the shirt she'd let him borrow. "I suppose I could use it, but I'd have to go back to my quarters to get it. I... uh... sort of took it with me when I left this morning. I'll bring it back to you, though." Though, she'd intended to keep it, thinking he wouldn't miss it, but since he brought it up, the honest thing to do was to tell him it was no longer in his quarters. "It won't take me long to go grab it. I think I can be back here in about five minutes or so."

Terry chuckled and gently squeezed her upper arm holding her down. "No. Stay. You can keep it. It's sweet of you, Dani." He took a chance and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. Then he dropped his head and sheepishly grinned. He had been a flirter for a long time. And with that gone and in the past, this new part of him was taking some getting used to. "I, um, I couldn't stand you being gone for five minutes now that you're here."

"Then, I won't go anywhere. Besides, I'd much rather stay here with you anyway," the blonde haired woman said as she laid her head against him once he placed the kiss to her forehead. She couldn't quite get over just how easy Terry was to get along with, and it didn't go unnoticed to her that he didn't seem to be as troubled as he was when she first met him. That was definitely a good thing, and she hoped that whatever it was he was doing to keep those troubles at bay continued to work for him in the future. "You're a great guy, Terry, and as embarrassing as it was then, I'm glad I torpedoed into you that day."

"Good," he said. "And thanks. You're an awesome girl. I'm glad you torpedoed me that day, too. As funny as it sounds, I really needed it. Anyway..." She was good for him...for helping him, even though she didn't realize it. A thought crept into the back of his head right then. He wondered...she was good for him, but what was he to her? "What makes me a great guy, Dani? To you."

"Let's see... what makes Terry a great guy? Well... I'll start my answer off with this," she said, pausing only for a moment to compose her thoughts. It was a tough question, and she knew exactly what she wanted to say, but putting those thoughts into proper words was proving to be a bit harder than she imagined. "You've never pressured me to do anything that I might not feel comfortable doing, but that's not what makes you a great guy. Only one of the many things." She closed her eyes and attempted to find the right words. "You're kind, caring, genuine in ways that most people could ever hope to be, you were there for me when I needed someone last night, which tells me that you'll always be there if I need you."

Dani composed herself again before continuing. He wanted to know, and she was going to tell him. "You make me feel safe... even if you're not physically near me. All I have to do is think about you, and it changes my mindset so I'm able to keep positive. What makes you so great is that you're you, and I wouldn't change anything about you for the world."

Terry pulled her in for a hug. "I like that," he said. "I like it a lot. I don't ever plan on pressuring you into anything. You're too sweet and fun for anyone to do something like that to. And you're right, if you ever need me, I'm right here. You know where to find me. Day or night." He paused for a second and enjoyed simply being with her. "I'm glad you feel safe around me. I'm glad that even thoughts of me make you feel that way." He reached down and picked up his glass, taking another drink. He wasn't sure if it was the psychological aspect of it or not, be felt like he needed it. He hadn't talked with woman like this before. Ever. "Could I call you my spider monkey?" he asked.

With a smile, Dani returned the hug before settling herself on his lap with her arms around his waist... well... as far around as she could get them. "Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?" she asked softly, trying not to read too much into that for fear she'd have it entirely wrong.

When she moved to his lap and put her arms around his waist as much as possible, he smiled. Then she asked him...and he smiled even broader. He ran his hand through her bright blonde hair. "Yeah, I am. Would you be my spider monkey and no one else's? Exclusive to me?"

The petite blonde on his lap leaned back just a bit so she could look up at him with one of her bright smiles. That was exactly what she thought he was asking, and now that he'd clarified it for her, she was all too eager to give him an answer. "I will absolutely be your spider monkey and no one else's. Exclusive to no one but you," she said, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I hoped that would happen some day, and I'm very glad some day got to be today."

Terry exhaled as if he'd been holding his breath. Then she kissed him. A part of didn't want her to pull away, but he had to answer her. "Good then. You're my spider monkey. My Dani." He ran his hand through her hair again and smiled at her, a sparkle in his eyes that had never been there. "What else can I do to make you smile like that again? Get you a drink? Play with your hair? Tickle you?"

"I have to vote against the tickling, cause if that were to happen, I'd have to do it back to you," she said with a smile. "It's still pretty early, but... we could go to bed if you want."

"Okay, so no tickling. For now," he added with a wink. "This is a big quarters. You'd have to chase me. But we'll save that for later. Bed, huh? Tired already?" He quickly drank down the last few swallows of his wine.

"I would chase you, too. Maybe I will have a glass of wine before we do go to bed, though," the blonde said, but she still didn't move from his lap. "I'm not even a little tired right now, and I'm hoping that you aren't, either."

"I can do that," he said, reaching for the bottle of Chateau Clinet Pomerol that he had put on the table at the end of the couch earlier. "But I only have one glass. Either we share or I carry you to the replicator to get another glass. Do you have a preference?"

"I don't mind sharing if you don't," Dani said with a smile. "And, I don't have a preference, either. I trust you when it comes to wine. No one knows it quite like you do." She could feel the butterflies starting to form in her stomach, but that's what the wine was for, to help ease the nerves she was feeling. "Are you tired?"

"I don't mind sharing at all," he said. Terry poured some of the red wine into the glass. "Thanks. I do like my fine wines. This one is a Bordeaux, a red wine, from the Chateau Clinet Pomerol in France." Terry swirled the deep, ruby colored wine. "The first thing you're going to notice is the floral bouquet as you smell it. That's quickly followed by anisette cookies, cherry blossoms, spice box, plums and, just for a touch of adrenaline, a hint of espresso. It gives a silky, polished, opulent feel to the mouth." He paused and chuckled a bit. "And no, I'm not tired. Here," he handed her the glass so she could taste it.

Dani took the glass from Terry and brought it to her nose so she could smell it. She had to admit that it smelled absolutely heaven, and before meeting him, she'd never really drank all that often... not that she did now, either. As a matter of fact, she could count the glasses of wine she'd had with him on a single hand, but right now wasn't the time to savor it as it was meant to be. She needed a little liquid courage, not that she really needed it, but it would help settle the butterflies.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she brought the glass to her lips and took a sip, savoring the flavor of what she was drinking. It was just as he'd described it would be, only better. Who knew she'd be such a fan? She brought the glass to her lips a second time, but instead of taking another sip, she tilted her head back and drained the contents in a few gulps. "Now... let's go to bed."

Terry smiled as he watched Dani take her first sip and enjoy the flavors. Then his eyes widened. She drank, no, she gulped down the entire glass! "Umm, wow? I don't...I don't think I've ever seen anyone throw back a glass of wine before. He took the glass from her and set it on the table. "You're just full of surprises, spider monkey. So, bed now." He stood, cradling the petite blonde in his arms. "I didn't think you were tired?"

"No, I'm not tired, and I'm not done with the surprises yet," Dani said, slipping her arms around his neck. The wine was already making her feel a lot more relaxed, and maybe even slightly buzzed considering she wasn't much of a drinker, but she was definitely sound of mind. With a grin, she ran her fingernails over the back of his neck. "Let's go to the bedroom. My bag can stay out here. I won't need it."

"You're not?" he asked. And then it hit him when he felt her fingernails down the back of his neck. "Okay, bag out here. But...Dani, there's no pressure. And I don't want to hear the wine talking. This needs to be you and only you."

"It's definitely not the wine talking, and I say that because I mentioned us going to bed before I even had that glass," she pointed out with a smile. "And I know there's no pressure, which I did say was one of the things that made you a great guy. This is coming from me. We... we don't have to if you're uncomfortable, though. I understand."

Terry smiled down at her, in his arms. She was a really special woman. "I've never been more comfortable being around anyone before." He carried Dani into the bedroom.

"Neither have I," Dani said softly as she leaned in to kiss him. After twenty-four years of waiting, this was the right moment for her, and Terry was the man she'd chosen. She wasn't going to worry about what the future held, or what tomorrow was going to bring, but her plan was to live in the moment and make some memories that would last her a lifetime.

---

Terry woke up a few minutes before the computer sounded the alarm. He rubbed his eyes and stretched and quietly ordered the alarm turned off. He pulled his feet back under the covers and rolled over, propping himself up on his elbow. He smiled and leaned down, gently placing a soft kiss on the petite blonde's forehead. He knew he had things to do on the Flight Deck and suspected that Dani had to report to Sickbay so she could get started on morning rounds. Or whatever she did as a nurse. He furrowed his brow slightly as he realized that he hadn't asked her what all her job as a nurse entailed. But that was for another time.

"Morning, spider monkey," he whispered in her ear. Right now, he still had a few minutes. "It's time to wake up."

Dani stirred around and muttered something before she snuggled deeper under the covers. She wasn't ready to get out of bed yet, and planned to protest doing so as long as she possibly could. Opening her eyes, she found she could make out his form in the darkness and offered a sleepy smile even if it couldn't be seen. "Good morning," she said softly. "Do we really have to get up?"

He watched her snuggle under the covers and smiled. "Heh, I do. If I'm going to have time to get ready and eat some breakfast before I leave," he replied quietly. "But if you don't need to report to Sickbay until later, feel free to sleep. Just remember to have the computer set an alarm. I don't want you to be late. So, what do you eat for breakfast?"

"I normally have a cup of coffee and a piece of toast or a bagel," she answered as she sat up with the covers held to her chest. The petite woman had a serious case of bedhead, and before the lights were turned on to show her blonde locks in various state of disarray, she brought her hand up to work through it and bring it back to some semblance of order. "What do you normally have?"

"It varies," he said. "Sometimes I'll have a bowl of oatmeal mixed with raisins, apple slices, chia seeds and dried cranberries, and a cup of coffee. Sometimes, it's two slices of rye toast, spread with almond butter, a banana. Other times, I'll mix it up and throw in an egg. But I can do a piece of toast or bagel. Of course, you'll still have a few minutes to sleep if you want. I'll shower first. It'll only take me about twenty minutes."

"Nope. You can't leave this bed yet," Dani said with a smile. He may not have been able to see it, but he could hear it in her voice easily enough.

Catching that a person was smiling or grinning or frowning when they spoke was easy enough. And Terry had heard Dani smile and talk enough when they first met in the pool that he picked up on the brightness in her voice. "And why not?" he asked, grinning.

Dani's smile didn't leave her face. "You haven't even kissed me yet."

"Computer, lights at ten percent," Terry ordered. The lights in the bedroom came on at a very low setting. Just enough so that he could see her and she could see him. Terry then slowly leaned in, never taking his eyes off of hers, until their lips met. He lingered for a bit, enjoying the kiss. A moment later, he pulled back just a few inches and looked into her blue eyes. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she said softly, the smile not leaving her lips, but now there was a slight blush on her cheeks. Thankfully, it was still too dim in the bedroom for that to be seen. "I should probably go so we can both get ready for our shifts."

"Aww, Dani. Not even breakfast before you leave?" he asked. Terry tried to make a sad, puppy dog face, but it wasn't working. The brawny pilot couldn't help but smile. Especially as he noticed Dani's slight blush. "Tell you what, you can use my shower and my replicator credits for a clean uniform, unless you packed one in your bag, and I'll get you a cup of coffee and bagel. Save you a trip back to your quarters and you can go straight to Sickbay. How's that sound?"

"That sounds good," she said with a smile, unable to miss his attempt at the sad puppy dog face. "I'll be quick... I promise. I just don't want to disrupt your routine."

Terry smiled at her in the dim lighting. "Good. And you don't disrupt my routine. Ever. Go on ahead," he said, nodding toward the bathroom. He swung out from under the covers and put on his pajama pants. "I'll go get your breakfast."

Dani smiled and slipped out of bed to make her way to the bathroom. She reached in to get the sonic shower going, then stepped inside and closed her eyes. The petite woman had zero regrets, and now all she could do was smile. Hopefully, things between her and Terry wouldn't change now, and she had to admit that was a bit of a concern, but not one she wanted to dwell on. For now, she focused on what she needed to do so he could have his turn.

Terry left the bedroom and went to the replicator. He ordered her cup of coffee and bagel and removed them once they materialized. Then he asked the replicator for his rye toast and almond butter. The squadron commander carried them to the little table and sat down. Dani was sweet. No, she was more than sweet. He wasn't sure what would happen after all this, but one thing he knew...she felt safe with him. And that was important to him.

It didn't take long before Dani was making her way out of the bedroom and over to the table he was sitting at where she settled down. She just so happened to be wearing one of his t-shirts until she could put her uniform on. "I promise I won't steal this shirt, too," she said with a grin before taking a sip of her coffee.

Terry laughed when she sat down. "I don't care," he said. "I can always get them back if I wanted. I know where you live." He grinned, winked, and took a bite of his toast. "You know, you could leave the one you wore here last night and we'll be even."

"You want my spider monkey shirt?" she asked with a grin, then picked up her toast before looking over at him. "If you want it, it's yours."

Terry swallowed his bite of toast and took a sip of coffee. "Yeah, I want the spider monkey shirt. But only on one condition." He took another sip of coffee, mainly to try and hide the smirk on his face. Terry Walsh was a horrible poker player.

"Okay, I'll bite. What's your condition?" Dani asked, taking a bite of her own toast. It still amazed her just how easy it was to get along with him, but she never planned to question that.

Terry put down the mug and revealed the smirk he was hiding. "Well, you have to promise to come back and wear it again after I have it cleaned. That way, it'll smell like you again." He grabbed his mug once again and took a rather long sip of his coffee...and winked.

"Deal," she said, leaning over to kiss him. "I'll be bringing the other shirt back for you to wear, too. And thank you. I haven't had the chance to say that yet."

He took a deep breath and held it for a second when she kissed him, only letting it out when she backed up. "I can do that," he said. "You're welcome, Dani. But, thanks for what?" He took another bite of toast and savored it.

"Thank you for being you," she replied with a smile. The truth was, despite his enormous size, he was extremely gentle in a lot of ways. Something that couldn't be said for a lot of people. "I'm really glad that I met you."

"And I'm really glad I met you, too, Dani," he replied. "It's fun getting to know you and I look forward to more of it." He finished his almond buttered toast and chased it with now cool coffee. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go shower. Make yourself at home." He scooted his chair back to stand. "I'll be back in about twenty."

"I'll be here," she said. "I'm going to get ready for my shift while you do that."

"Okay. Sounds like plan." He went back to the bedroom and started a sonic shower. And to think, this second sleepover started with a chance meeting in the ship's pool, he thought to himself. He thought about how comfortable and relaxed he felt around her. She was good for him in so many ways. But the biggest one was that she started out becoming his friend. And that allowed him to open up to her. To share things.

About twenty minutes later, Terry stepped out of the bedroom dressed in his uniform and ready for his shift. "Before we leave, Dani. I have something I want to give you. You can stop back by and pick it up after your shift in Sickbay. Even if I'm not here."

"Something to give me?" she asked, rising to her feet to take care of the mess she made. Now she was curious, but she'd wait until he was ready to give her whatever it was without pushing. "You don't have to give me anything, Terry." But, he had to have known that already.

"I know," he said. "But I want to." He walked over to the wine unit and reached onto the bottom shelf. Terry removed a bottle and turned towards Dani. "This a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. And it's yours. I know you're not much of a drinker, but you can just keep it." He paused a moment and smiled. "See, this is an exquisite, fine wine. It is the purest expression of Pinot Noir. It costs quite a bit of latinum, but it's well worth the cost. Some would consider it priceless." He smiled at his spider monkey. "I consider it a rare find in this century."

Dani blinked and accepted the bottle from him. That was one of the last things she'd ever expected to get from him considering how much he appreciated his wine, and the fact that it was as rare as he was saying it was. "Terry... I really do appreciate the thought, but you should keep this. Especially if it's as rare as you say it is. You may never come across another one of these again."

"I'd been saving my latinum for years," he started. "Back in twenty-three seventy-two, I came across three bottles while visiting the Vosne-Romanée wine vineyards in Burgundy, France. At that time, they were a twenty-six year vintage. I've never opened any of them because they are for a special occasion or special people." He stopped and stared at Dani for a moment. "But the Romanée Conti isn't the only rare, priceless, and exquisite thing in this room that I'll never come across again." He smiled and winked. "It's yours, spider monkey, because I've chosen to give it to you."

"Thank you, Terry," Dani said softly, turning her blue eyes up to him with a smile. "I still can't believe you want to give this to me, but I will gladly accept it. That being said, I want to save it for a special occasion and share it with you. Do you think you can hold on to it for me? I'm afraid I'll end up breaking it or something."

"You're welcome, Dani," Terry replied. "And yeah, I can hold on to it for you. It'll be right in here with the rest when you decide the time is right." He put it back into the wine unit. "Okay, off to work I suppose." He walked up to her, leaned down, and kissed her forehead. "Have a good day," he said.

"You have a good day, too, and I'll see you soon," she said. "Thank you again, Terry."

"Alright," he said. "See you soon, Dani."

"Wait!" Dani said before he could walk out the door.

Terry stopped just outside the sensor range. He turned around and looked at Dani. "What is it?"

The petite blonde opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but closed it again as she shook her head. "Nothing. You have a good day. I'll see you later." she said, managing a smile.

"No, Dani...go ahead," he said. "What's on your mind? I can wait." Then he smiled. "Department head and all, I can be a little late. And I'll talk with your immediate supervisor if need be. So, go ahead."

"It's nothing... really. I was just going to give you a kiss goodbye, but you already did that," she said, moving to pick up her bag. Dani had enough time to make it down to her quarters to toss her bag inside, then get to sickbay with a couple minutes to spare. "Here's hoping today is a bit smoother than the last couple we had."

"Well I hope it's smoother, too," he said. He watched her grab her bag. "Dani," he said, gently grabbing her arm as she passed by, "I gave you a kiss goodbye, yes. But if you want to give me one, that's okay." He was a bit confused at the moment. But wasn't so dense that he couldn't see it meant something to her.

Dani climbed onto her tiptoes and urged him to bed down so she could press a kiss to his cheek, then settled back again. "Don't let your pilots give you too much hell, but you give them all the hell you can," she said with a smile. "And if anyone is showing any signs of injury still, make sure you send them up to sickbay. There are people on the ship who think they're invincible as sad as that it, but it's not really all that uncommon."

She reached out to give his arm a gentle squeeze, then made her way out the door. There was a little difference in the way she was walking, but she tried to compensate for it by taking smaller steps just so she wouldn't draw attention to herself. Dani passed the nearest turbolift in favor of one farther down the corridor that would put her closer to her quarters. It was time to start her day, and the first thing she did was put a bright smile on her face.

Terry bent down and felt her soft lips against his cheek. He smiled as he listened to her encourage him about his day. It was different, but it was a good different. And he liked it. A lot. He nodded his head and replied in the affirmative when she told him to send anyone still injured up to Sickbay. Then she squeezed his arm and he watched her leave with the promise from earlier that she would see him soon.

The doors closed and Terry sat down on the couch for a moment. There was something different about Dani and her personality. Maybe it was because she was medical or maybe...hopefully...it was all her. He'd noticed it when they took their walk around the ship. She talked and asked questions about him and his past. And even just now, she had encouraged him about his day at work before kissing him goodbye. She was so approachable and, well...genuine. He put a smile on his face and got up, leaving to head to the Flight Deck.

 

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