When the Argonaut returned, battered and damaged but still intact, Williams was there in the docking bay, waiting as the shuttle doors opened. Erikson stepped out first, his face a mix of exhaustion and relief. His team followed behind, looking equally worn, but alive.
Williams felt a wave of emotion she wasn’t used to—relief, mixed with something deeper. She took a step forward, her eyes meeting Erikson’s as he approached.
“Captain,” Erikson said, his voice hoarse but carrying the familiar tone of confidence. “We made it.”
Williams resisted the urge to let her emotions show too much in front of the others, but she couldn’t stop herself from stepping closer to him, her voice softer than usual. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
Erikson gave a tired smile. “Neither was I, to be honest.”
They stood there for a moment, just the two of them, while the rest of the crew disembarked and moved about the bay. For the first time since the mission had begun, the weight of everything seemed to settle, and the tension between them—unspoken but always present—became more palpable than ever.
“You need to debrief me,” Williams said, her voice catching slightly. “But first… I’m glad you’re back.”
Erikson’s eyes softened, and he stepped closer. “So am I.”
For a moment, they were just two people who had survived the impossible together, and the distance they had carefully maintained for so long seemed to evaporate.
“I was worried about you,” Williams admitted, a rare confession for her.
Erikson’s gaze held hers, his voice quiet but full of meaning. “I know. I could feel it.”
The space between them felt charged, the connection undeniable now. Williams felt her breath catch as Erikson reached out, his hand lightly brushing her arm in a gesture that felt both familiar and intimate.
They had been through so much together, and in this moment, Williams realized that her feelings for Erikson weren’t just a passing distraction. They had been forged in the fire of battle, in the quiet moments of shared trust, and in the space where words hadn’t been needed.
Before she could second-guess herself, Williams made a decision.
“We need to talk,” she said, her voice quiet, but firm. “Alone.”
Erikson didn’t need to be told twice. He nodded, and together, they left the docking bay, heading toward Williams’ quarters, where they could finally confront what had been simmering between them for so long.
Once inside her quarters, the door closed behind them, and for the first time, there were no distractions—no missions, no crew, no war. Just the two of them, facing what had been building for months, maybe even longer.
Williams stood by the window, staring out into the stars, her thoughts racing. She could feel Erikson’s presence behind her, strong and steady, as always. But now, there was something else—an anticipation she couldn’t deny any longer.
“We’ve never really talked about this,” Williams began, her voice barely above a whisper. “What’s been happening between us.”
Erikson took a step closer, his voice low but steady. “I know. I think we’ve both been avoiding it.”
Williams turned to face him, and the look in his eyes was all the confirmation she needed. There was no more avoiding it, no more pretending that what they felt for each other was just a byproduct of the stress of command.
“I care about you, Erikson,” she said, the vulnerability in her voice clear. “More than I should.”
Erikson stepped closer, his hand reaching out to take hers. “I feel the same way. I’ve felt it for a long time.”
The touch of his hand sent a shiver through her, but it was more than just physical attraction. It was the bond they had forged over time, the trust and respect that had grown between them. It wasn’t just about desire—it was about connection, about understanding each other in ways no one else could.
Williams felt a tension release, one she hadn’t realized she’d been holding for so long. She stepped closer to Erikson, her body almost brushing his, the air between them charged with the weight of everything they hadn’t said.
“I don’t know where this goes,” she whispered, her eyes searching his. “But I know I don’t want to keep pretending it’s not there.”
Erikson smiled, his voice soft but filled with certainty. “We don’t have to pretend anymore.”
And then, without hesitation, Williams closed the distance between them, pulling Erikson into a kiss that felt like the culmination of everything they had been through together. It was slow at first, tentative, but it quickly deepened, fueled by the unspoken feelings they had kept at bay for so long.
In that moment, everything else fell away—the war, the Ascendants, the uncertainty of the future. All that mattered was the connection they shared, and the quiet promise that whatever came next, they would face it together.
The following day, the crew of the Constellation was buzzing with news of the reconnaissance mission’s success, but for Williams and Erikson, everything had changed. Their relationship, once defined strictly by the chain of command, had shifted into something far more personal.
As they stood together on the bridge, reviewing the latest intelligence on the Ascendants, the tension between them had evolved. It was no longer a source of distraction—it was something that strengthened their bond, something they could rely on as they faced the unknown.
The Ascendants were still out there, a looming threat on the horizon, but now, Williams and Erikson knew they could face it together—not just as commander and officer, but as partners, in every sense of the word.
“Are you ready for what’s next?” Erikson asked, his voice filled with the familiar confidence she had come to rely on.
Williams glanced at him, a small smile playing at her lips. “With you by my side? Always.”
As they prepared for the battles ahead, they knew that whatever the Ascendants brought, they would face it with the strength of their bond—one that had been forged through war, trust, and now, love.
The galaxy still held many unknowns, but for the first time, Williams and Erikson knew they didn’t have to face it alone.