Moira and Nathan

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

While working on a project Moira is interrupted by Nathan. Who, through bribery, cajoling and promises, gets Moira to be okay with him going out to play in the quarry.



Moira fiddled with the microscope and frowned. The results she was getting were interesting but they were not the results she wanted. Still, no harm in jotting down what she found she mused, blindly reaching out with her free hand. The other one played with the controls so she could focus better on the specimen. After a few seconds of some light touching, she found the notepad and pencil where she left them and begin to write down her findings without looking up.

Nathan, sticking his head in the open door of her lab, smiled at the picture of total concentration she presented. "I'm always amazed you can read your notes afterwards," he said with a perfectly straight face. "I mean, your handwriting is bad enough under normal circumstances."

"Wha' ye think I dinnae do tha' on purpose?" she retorted, not looking up just yet. A few more minutes, the results were actually more interesting than the ones she'd been hoping for. "If nay anyone cannae read me notes, nay anyone can steal them. Makes perfect sense."

"Mmm." Nathan came into the lab, well aware of the fact that he was probably intruding, but he didn't see that he had much choice. If he went ahead and did what he wanted to do, he'd probably be in for a vehement lecture when he got back, and contrary to popular belief, it was not always easier to beg for forgiveness than it was to ask permission. "I thought I might go out to the quarry for a bit," he said casually.

Moira jerked away from the microscope and then slapped a hand over her eyes. "Ow, damn it!" She'd forgotten to dim the lights before starting and the transition from staring at the specimen to the room with bright lights was always disorienting.

Nathan wisely didn't comment on that. "I'm feeling a little rusty," he said. "Need to drill a little."

Rubbing her eyes, she glared at him warily. "Ye cannae do tha' inside? Coins?" The idea of him exerting himself worried her.

"I like the quarry," he said brightly, giving her his best 'I'll be good' look. "Besides, it's actually less strain to be throwing rocks around. Takes less control."

"Ye jus' want ta blow somethin' up," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Is that so bad? You know how much it improves my mood," he pointed out helpfully.

"Jus' worried ye might overwork yerself an' wind up back in th' MedLab." She tried to ignore the flash of memory from last night, when he'd shown her exactly how much better he really was feeling.

He caught the image on the link, though, and couldn't help a grin. "Exertion is good for me."

Moira blushed slightly and stuck out her tongue at him. "Yer cheatin' ta get me ta say yes."

"There's no cheating going on here," he protested with as much of an innocent face as he could muster. "I just want to go blow something up. This whole going-days-between-doing-that is just really...dull."

Half-joking, she harrumphed at him. "I'm sorry I cannae be entertainin' enough," she said, a brief touch on the link taking away most of the sting from the words. Part of her still wanted him safe and sound upstairs but the rest was starting to cave.

He couldn't help a sigh. "Moira," he said, warmly but reprovingly, as he went over and stood behind her chair, laying his hands on her shoulders. "I promise I won't overdo it," he said, meaning it. "I just am going a little stir-crazy here. It's not anything you're doing or not doing, it's just... well, this is me. I'm not used to sitting around, remember."

With a sigh, she tilted her head up to look at him and her gaze softened. "I know. I jus' worry 'bout ye." She was so close to saying yes but there was no reason she couldn't have a bit of fun. "Bribe me?" she teased, with a grin.

Nathan grinned. "What do you want?"

"Hmm." Moira's eyes closed part way as she thought. "Damn but I'm easy...two thin's, only. If'n yer well enough ta go blow up rocks, dinner after Bridge an' Dom leave. An' a kiss." The impish grin just wouldn't go away.

"So long as you don't mean for me to cook dinner," Nathan said, stepping around to the front of the chair and bending to kiss her. The kiss turned out a little more enthusiastic than he had really planned, but judging by the little sound Moira made as she twined her arms around his neck, she wasn't going to object.

With a happy sigh after a couple of long moments, she drew back and smiled softly. "Need t' find ye more reasons ta bribe me," she murmured, laughing as she bent forward again for a hug. "Mmm, all right ye, ye can go 'ave yer fun.

"Fabulous," Nathan said happily, and kissed her again, a little more quickly this time. "I won't be long. Promise."

Reluctantly, she untangled her arms and gave him a playful shove towards the door. Not that he needed it, it was like he was three again. With an amused shake of the head, she watched him head out. #Better nay,# she sent as he started to leave. #Dinnae force me ta dra' ye back inside, because I will ye know.#

When the reply came back, along the lines of he'd probably enjoy it, she blinked and then started laughing. "Men," she muttered, reaching for her microscope once more.