That first day on Risa seemed like a dream that Archer had no desire to awaken from. They walked along the beach together talking first about unimportant matters such as the beauty of Risa, what activities they should try, where they should eat or if they were even hungry at all. Danaë even suggested a little rock climbing, a pastime they both enjoyed and seldom got to indulge in. She had heard that the view from atop Rina Summit was particularly breathtaking if you managed to traverse the shifting rocks.
This last idea was a tempting one and Archer gave it a few moments of serious thought. The last time he went climbing was after the Xindi conflict with Erika Hernandez. At the time he had wanted to get away from humanity and their constant desire to shake his hand and call him a hero. He had not been a hero then and he wasn't one now. At the time he had also entertained the notion of rekindling things with Erika and they had even kissed and joked about what Starfleet would say about them dating. Ultimately it was Captain Hernandez who would point out to Jonathan Archer that while he did have feelings for someone, it wasn't her.
Erika had been correct in her assessment. Although inappropriate and completely against regulations, Archer had fallen in love with Danaë. It was a relationship he had never planned on and one that was both complicated and frustrating. He had her here now though. For two days and two nights they could ignore the rules and their rank and just be themselves. At this thought a sparkle of mischief crept into the captain's tired green eyes as he looked down into Danaë's hazel ones.
"I don't doubt that the view on Rina's Summit is quite spectacular, but I think I'd rather enjoy the view right here."
"Oh?" The lieutenant smiled as the captain clasped both her hands in his.
"Besides, didn't you once tell me that you had a roommate at the academy that was from Risa and really had a thing for me?" This question elicited a suspicious and curious look from Lt. D'Arcy. "If she was half as pretty as the other Risian women then perhaps I should find her ancestors and introduce myself," he teased. At this, Danaë began to protest and pull away from him. Archer only laughed before bringing her closer and enveloping her in his arms and kissing her deeply.
Things could have easily gotten far more intimate right then and there if Danaë hadn't started to playfully push him away while giggling. She knew exactly what he was anticipating, and she was too, but for the moment she wanted to keep him waiting. Archer continued to steal small sweet kisses even as she reminded him that patience was virtue. He in turn reminded her that there was a war going on and they should make every moment count. This was logic she couldn't deny and even brought the echo of her father's words to mind: live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. She truly intended to follow that sentiment by spending the next two days living fully at Jonathan's side. They would stand together in the open and hide to indulge their desires in a hotel room.
"We have two days and two nights, let's truly make this an adventure," she smiled, slipping the flute into a side pocket on her satchel and tossing her backpack over her shoulders before leading Archer off down the beach.
Where she led him was a twenty mile trail hike through Risa's lush green vegetation. Porthos had to be carried a couple of times, but still managed to wag his tail and enjoy the company of his two favorite humans. As they traversed the trail they found spectacular waterfalls and cliff side views that seemed to go on for miles. They saw trees that could dwarf the mighty redwoods and patches of wild flowers in bright vibrant colors. Some were small or on par with any flora found on Earth, while others were huge and could easily cover the entire helm of Enterprise with room to spare.
One flower, called Enfys, was the size of a rose and colored in every hue of the rainbow, its petals flawlessly blending from one shade into the next. No artist pallet ever looked prettier. Archer plucked one of the blooms and entwined it into the chignon Danaë wore at the nape of her neck. They saw a variety of animals scurrying through the forest and would softly point them out to each other. Some were as small as chipmunks and squirrels that roamed their own planet, but others were larger and while certainly majestic, they appeared far more lethal. Regardless of which, the pair wisely never disturbed any.
At the halfway point they happened upon a small restaurant tucked away inside a cave. Family owned and operated, it was an intimate place with less than a dozen tables and the chef worked off a large grill that was positioned in front of the patrons. A true culinary artist, the chef made an entire show out of his cooking, not only in the way he tossed his utensils and flipped the food, but also with the stories he told and jokes he recited. On top of all that, the food tasted amazing. While neither the captain nor the lieutenant knew what sort of animal a Cernunnos was, it tasted like elk and was cooked to utter perfection. The spicy seasoning mixed with an ever so slightly robust but sweet sauce made it practically melt in their mouths. The native vegetables that were served along with it had the perfect amount of sear that gave them just the right amount of crispness and smoky flavor. Even Porthos enjoyed his meal.
After they had eaten their fill, they continued down the trail, hand in hand as they hiked. All the while they talked about the future. Not what was going to happen with the Coalition, Starfleet or even the war, but rather the future of their relationship. Their hopes and their dreams. Both harbored the hope of being able to step out of the shadows and finally show the world how they felt about each other. They talked of marriage and even family, the latter being something that made the lieutenant rather nervous. Like her father, she had never been comfortable around kids and figured it was simply because she had never really been much of a child herself.
Even as they shared their dreams of tomorrow, Danaë already knew some of what the future held for the captain. By the time she would come to live with her father Jean-Luc Picard in the year twenty-three-sixty-eight, Archer's life had been a class taught at the academy for generations. Among the things it mentioned in the textbook was that he did have a wife and two sons. No where in the history she had studied did it mention who the lucky woman was though. This seemed to be the eternal mystery that historians longed to answer. Danaë harbored great doubts that it was her. In her mind she pictured someone who was not only beautiful, but could command a starship and possess a diplomatic background. She wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out to be a political alliance rather than a romantic one. In many respects, Archer was a man destined to be a king and as such he deserved to have a queen on his arm and that... that was simply not her.
Upon returning to Archer's hotel, they were each handed a flier advertising a tent theater performance of some play called 'Beneath the Tündér tree' and the teaser sounded like a combination of 'A Midsummer's night's Dream' and 'The Taming of the Shrew'. This mixture was intriguing and they both agreed they had to go, but not before a shower. Both were sweaty and filthy from the hike, as was Porthos, and both desperately needed a shower.
Archer suggested that they should share the shower, all in an effort to conserve water of course. Danaë just smiled and playfully admonished him with a wagging finger before pushing him towards the bathroom. His only protest was a groan of disappointment as she shut the door behind him. While he showered the lieutenant unpacked her backpack and in particular slipped out the gray and black striped dress she had worn four years prior in San Francisco. Laying it out on a chair she recalled the way he had lifted the skirt and taken her right there against the wall at the former ferry station. Smiling to herself she wondered just what he might do in the darkness of the theater.
After a short while, the captain emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Danaë went over and leaned in, breathing deeply and taking in the scent of the man and whispering the word 'nice' before snatching his towel and running off into the bathroom with it. Laughing, Archer turned and noticed the chair with the dress the lieutenant had laid out and his eyes twinkled. Yes, things were definitely going to get interesting before the night was over.
Truth be told, they had never had what one would call a real date. They had always been far too concerned with being caught in anything but a professional manner to have one. Even when they were on Earth they could only manage a quick supper before engaging in other intimate pursuits. The last time they had been on Risa the shore leave had been canceled so there had been no chance for them to be a normal couple. This time would be different, he was sure of it and dressed himself in a nice pair of slacks and a long sleeved shirt in anticipation of a quiet evening out. So far the entire day had been perfect and for the most part he had managed to forget all about the war. He was in the midst of combing his hair when the sound of his communicator chirping suddenly got his attention.
He had no idea who was contacting him or why, but he was certain that it could not be good news. The last time he had stepped foot on Risa and received a communication it was to let him know about Columbia's destruction. Every fiber of his being was telling him not to pick it up, not to respond. Nothing good could come of it. He closed his eyes and whispered for the chirping to stop, but of course it didn't. He stood there willing himself to ignore it, but deep down he knew that if there was even a small chance that one of his crewmen needed him then he had to do it. He had to.
"Archer here." He said, steeling himself against whatever news he was about to hear. Hoshi apologized for interrupting his shore leave, but Admiral Gardener wanted to speak to the captain directly. He assured her it was okay and to put the admiral through. Intently he listened as Gardner spoke, his eyes looking up as the lieutenant emerged from the bathroom dressed in a hotel bathrobe. Finding Archer on his communicator she immediately furrowed her brow in expectation of bad news. The clouds that had finally cleared from his eyes were gathering again for an even darker storm.
At the sound of the Admiral's voice, Danaë instinctively pulled her robe tighter around herself as if she was afraid he might see her. The conversation between the admiral and captain was far from good and Gardner hated to ruin the captain's two days of rest, but he felt that it was only right to tell Archer the news himself. It seemed that after four years and with no resolution in sight, the delegates of Andoria, Vulcan and Tellar had decided to meet and discuss the future of the Coalition of Planets. Both men agreed that more than likely they were disbanding and returning to how things were before Earth's involvement. Hearing this, The storm clouds brewing in Archer's eyes grew darker and the lieutenant was certain she could see flashes of lightning.
"Jon," she said, trying to bring him back to the man he had been a few moments before. "This war will not go on forever." This was something she could say with confidence. Being born two-hundred and thirty years in the future, she was familiar with the Earth-Romulan War and while she knew its outcome, she had no real knowledge of exact battles or maneuvers that turned the tide, nor did she know the exact date. Archer had no idea how much she did or didn't know, but knowing she was from a future time had often given him a measure of hope, but not this time.
"When?" he growled.
