Kai bounced around on his heel every second and checked the clock to see when his shift would end. Commander Stanton noticed his third in command seeming rather restless. He looks like he has a pair of badgers in his pants, Commander Stanton mused. "Mr. Chen is there something wrong?"
Kai's head snapped up in attention, " Umm... No, sir...."
Stanton raisds his eyebrows, "Then, Mr. Chen, why are you restless?"
Kai blushed red, "Well, sir...I have...a sort of..date.."
Commander Stanton bit back a smile."Well, well, well...he finally has a girl.." Stanton cleared his throat. "Mr. Chen, please restrict your thoughts to your work when you are on your shift."
Kai nodded his head,"Yes, sir."
Commander Stanton glanced at the clock."You are dismissed, Mr. Chen." He watched as Kai rushed out of the command area, leaving a trail of dust behind him. The commander chuckled and shook his head."The boy's got it bad." He then went back to his routine of looking at reports.
Kai ran past Mike without a glance and headed to his room at warp speed.
Mike looked puzzled. "Hey Kai, what's the rush?" he yelled out after his friend.
Maya almost fell down when Kai breezed past her. Mike quickly steadied her. "Whooo, what is up with him?" Maya exclaimed.
Mike shrugged."I don't know, maybe he has a date."
Maya looked at Mike like he was crazy. "You are nuts. Our Kai, having a date? For Pete's sakes, I don't think he even has the time to go out on a date. Not to mention he's...he's..."
Mike finished the sentence for Maya."...to serious."
Maya nodded her head."Exactly."
Mike looked at the place where Kai left smoke. "Well he is definitely smoking."
Maya giggled and nodded her head. "I hope we find out what is going on though. I've never seen Kai this way before."
Miked nodded his agreement. " I know what you mean, and I hope he will be alright."
Maya rolled her eyes. "Have you ever seen Kai anything else besides that?"
Mike shrugged. "I don't know, but I still worry over him. He needs a life outside work."
Kai quickly pressed in his passcode and entered his quarters. He ran around in his room in panic and desperation. What do I do? What do I do first? he thought to himself in sheer panic. "Clothing,"he exclaimed as he looked down at himself. He quickly made way to his closet looking for clothing. The closet was pretty small and compact. "Let's see, where is that blue silk shirt of mine," he muttered to himself as he quickly browsed through all the tidily hung up shirts and pants. He found the blue silk shirt he was looking for and a pair of black slacks and put them on in a hurry. Now what? he thought to himself after he dresssed up.
He smacked his hand to his forehead when he realized what he was forgetting. " I am so stupid! I forgot to make food for the picnic." He ran to his kitchen and quickly whipped up some Italian Alfredo and clam chowder. His hand trembled in nervousness as he threw in some champagne glasses and a bottle of Dr. Pepper. When he finished preparing a picnic basket, he looked around the area for anything he was missing. What am I missing? I know I am forgetting something. Oh God, look at the time! Better hurry up - she will be here soon.
He saw the bouquet of flowers he bought that morning. "That's it! I almost forgotten the tiger lily flowers." He quickly scooped them up and placed them on top of the basket. He smiled as he picked up a black box that he bought two day's ago just for her. He quickly placed that in his pocket the door bell rang and he jumped, startled.
Kai grabbed the tiger lillies and quickly ran to the door and opens it. He saw a girl wearing a silver summer dress that was patterned with stars, her long black hair was down to her waist. She wasn't paying attention and her back was turn toward the door. He grinned and placed the flowers on her shoulder, watching her jump and turn around in surprise. Her ebony eyes widened when she saw the flowers.
"They're beautiful... Thank you," he heard her whisper. The sound of her voice almost melted him in a instant. He prayed that he didn't look like a idiot standing there just gaping at her. She took the flowers and smelled them, her eyes closing.
Kai gulped in nervously. "You're beautiful...." He watched her eyes open in shock and the tiny sparkles of merriment and embarrassment flushed her cheeks. She is so beautiful. The sight took Kai's breath away, he felt his heart beating triple time. "Ummm...mmm... I will just grab the basket and we...ca...can be..on our way," he stuttered, and felt like kicking himself in the rear. He quickly grabbed the prepared basket and walked out of the door. He felt surprise when she took his hand and held it as they walked to the park dome. He swore he felt a electrical shortage in his very essence when, he touched her hand.
They arrived at the park area and found a shaded region to set up for the picnic. He spread out the blue white checkered blanket. He felt himself blush when his hand brushed hers by accident while reaching for the picnic basket to take out the food. Kai cleared his voice."How was your day?" He felt like getting a large boot and kicking himself in the rear. Gee, way to go, Kai. He wanted to mentally slap himself.
He watched her flushes a little. "I...I...I'm...fine...ummm...how was work?"
"It was kind of boring," he said truthfully. He watched her eyes locking onto his. They seem to pierce right through the shield that surrounded his heart. He felt his pulse kicked up a notch and the fluttering in his stomach increased tenfold. "Well, let's say that I couldn't get out of there fast enough so that I could see you again." Stupid stupid stupid. You might as well hold out a large sign that says kick me. He mentally argued with himself.
He watches her eyes glimmer with surprise. "Really?" she asked uncertainly and squinted at him. He felt like he was being dissected under those eyes of hers, and for some strange reason, he saw the fear that resided in those deep pools of ebony.
I must have hurt her more deeply then I imagined. Kai nodded his head. He was satisfied when he saw the fear vanish and a shy smile tugging on her lips. He busied himself distributing some of the food onto two plates that had little fairies imprinted upon them. He then filled up the champagne glasses with Dr. Pepper. He heard her chuckling and looked up, puzzled by her laughter.
"Champagne glasses?" He saw a bemused expression on her face. "How romantic, Kai...I never pegged you as a romantic at heart."
He blushed red in his face. "Does it upset you?" he murmured uncertainly.
She shook her head. "No, I find it rather sweet and adorable that you are a romantic at heart." She sighed wistfully. "There aren't that many unicorns running around the area like there used to be."
He looked puzzled. "Unicorn?"
She flushed deep red and tugged on her silver dress some more. Her eyes slowly rose up, and she looked at him seriously. "Not that many people who are romantic at heart anymore. No more people who believes in fairy tales about the pure, the innocent, or knights that rescue there fair maidens just out of love."
Kai felt himself mesmerized by her and the words that she spoke struck a deep chord inside of her. She's right. There aren't that many. He reflected on the people he remembered in his life, and about him asking them if they believed, and every time they said no.
"I believe..."he whispered.
He saw her smile happily. "My father used to tell me that I was his little star. He use to tell me that I was the one who couldn't keep my feet down." She smiled wistfully. "I miss him so much."
Kai looked curiously at her. "Where did he go?"
She looked sadly down and fiddled with a silver star-imprinted bracelet. "He died......when I was...seven..."
He felt his heart going out to her in sympathy. Her eyes were blurred with unescapable tears.
"I'm...so sorry, Liz...I shouldn't have brought up this subject," he said soulfully. The tears that shimmer in her ebony eyes were tearing up his soul. He wanted to ease her pain and the grief that she was feeling.
Her voice shook as she spoke on. "Don't worry...about it... At...least I've got this bracelet...to remember him by....even..though.. it was... it...was... the last thing... he... gave ..." Her voice broke on the last word and tears started to fall down her cheeks.
Kai looked up, startled, and drew her into his arms. He felt the emotional sob that racked her body. She buried her face in her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably. Then, finally, her sobs quieted, she sat back up. Her eyes were puffy from crying her little heart out. "I'm...sorry... I... shouldn't have... cried..." She started to apologize profoundly. "I must have ruined out date, huh." She tried to dry her tears with her dress. Kai quickly reach into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and started to dry her face.
"Don't worry about it... as long as you are alright. That is all that matter to me, Angel." He watched her eyes fly up in shock, not realizing what he just said out of instinct.
"Why... why... did you call me that?" she stuttered out.
He looked puzzled. "Call you what?"
She blushed red and looked away. "Angel?"
Kai blushed. " I wanted to, Liz...because...ever...since...we...were small...well....you reminded me of one... and... by... what your... father said..."
He saw her frown,"My father said?"
He nodded his head and begin to repeat what happen when they were
small.
**Flashback**
Kai frowned as he heard giggles and squeals of laughter. His class ended in twenty minutes, but he had to ask a few more questions about a math problem with his teacher. He rounded the corner of the school halls and froze as he located the source of the giggles. To his surprise he saw a little girl in silver dress being hugged by a man. The man was wearing a Air Force uniform and he was tossing the little girl up and down in his arms. He listen to the girl giggling and gasped in surprise when he recognized who she was. Liz? She was the one who was in advanced studies and was one grade higher than him. He always envied her ability to solve problems faster in her head.
Who is that guy? Kai thought curiously.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, are you staying, Daddy?" he heard Liz exclaimed in delight as she was being tossed up and down in the man's arms.
"Yes, my little Star!" He kissed Liz on the cheek as he tossed her up again. "I am going to stay. Then we can play and I can watch my favorite little star fly up again."
She giggled as she was caught in her father arms. "I love you daddy. Is mommy going to make cake today?" she said childishly as she hugged her father again.
Kai stared in envy at the love that was flowing from the pair. He had never had that sort of parents before. No love was showed in his family, for if there was then you were considered weak. Kai watched as the father tossed Liz back up into the sky. Her hair was floating around her and her eyes twinkled like fireflies. Kai swallowed hard at the image she projected to him. She's like an Angel... he thought to himself as he watched Liz being tossed up again. Merriment was sparkling in her eyes as she kissed her father on the cheek.
"Let's go home, my little Star." He put Liz on the ground and held out his hand to his daughter. Kai watched as Liz placed her hand in her father's grip and they both walked out the door.
**Flashback ends**
He saw her eyes clouded in memory of her father and tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I will always miss him. You know what my father always did for me?"
Kai shook his head,"What did he do?"
She smiled in her memory. "He use to play with me and tell me fairy tale stories." Her eyes clouded darkly. "The last day I saw him, he told me that when I grew up that I would have my own knight to guard me....." She sighed "....and to love me."
Kai nods his head and he felt surprise that he could picture that image in his mind. After all, he was the one who kept on battling his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. "I can see that." He blushed when he saw her eyes look into his deeply.
She looked at him in puzzlement. "You can?"
He prayed that he didn't make a big mistake. "Yes, I can see that in my mind. After all, I am right now sitting here with a legendary Angel." He blushed more. I must look like a radish, he thought to himself.
She looked confused. "Legendary Angel?"
Kai nodded his head and cleared his throat. "Well yes... legendary. You see, after that day when I thought you were a Angel, I started to do reasearch about them."
She looked amused. "Always the obsessive overachiever, Kai," she teases.
He rolled his eyes and started again. "I went and did reasearch on them and found a legend that a star, in a way, was a guardian Angel that watches over us all..." She looked at him in surprise and curiosity. He blushed deeply and took a deeper breath. "...and in a way, you are my guardian Angel."
Shock lit her eyes. "Me... your... guardian Angel?" she stuttered.
Kai nodded his head shyly and prayed that he didn't blow it this time. "Yes."
He looked up to see her smiling at him. "That is so sweet. Thank you."
He smiled in relief. "No thank you." He put his hand into his pocket and tooked out a black box and handed it to her. She looked puzzled.
"What is this for?"
Kai smiled happily. "Open it."
She opened it and gasped in surprise. There inside of the little black box was a delicate little angel in silver that held a blue sapphire heart in her hands. She looked up at Kai.
"It's beautiful," she said.
He smiled and took it out of the box. "Shall I put it on for you?" She lifted up her hair and he placed the necklace around her neck and closed the clasp. "An Angel for a beautiful Angel," he murmured against her neck. He was surprised when she threw herself against him and hugged him.
"Oh, thank you, thank you," she exclaimed.
Kai smiled gently and closes his eyes. "No thank you." He held her in his arms and looked at her hesitantly. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
She looked at him happily and nodded her head. He instantly felt his heart rise in his throat as he leaned down and kissed her on the lips.
Finally the eclipse was gone and his heart was whole once again. His Angel had protected his soul and had made it whole. Thank you my little Angel, he thought to himself as he held her close to his heart. Somewhere in space a star was twinkling and smiling upon the two heart that had found each other.
Be happy, my little Star.... the star in the sky seemed to echo in space.