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The waiting area was familiar Starfleet standard despite the upgrades over the years, lending it a comforting familiarity. Some low chairs, a table and greenery along the wall. Paul couldn’t help but pace around the edge however. Beaming down after Voyager docked at the Starbase to complete some health checks and paperwork had been an odd mix of mundane and intense. Still coming to terms with actually being there, with seeing Starfleet officers around, while adjusting to the new uniform being everywhere, being among friends again without worry of attack. Being safe.
A message had come through to him while he was going through procedure. Hugh was on his way and would arrive at the Starfleet building in a few hours. Once the initial debriefing was finished, he was shown into a private waiting area, with the promise Hugh would be directed there.
Now, every second Hugh was getting closer. Now after all this time Paul was feeling anxious, nervous. What was he going to say? Would Hugh be different? Would they be ok? Then the door sliding open made him jump as he turned and there……there was Hugh.
He was just inside the doorway, frozen, staring at Paul as it slid shut behind him. Looking just as anxious as Paul felt, emotion written all over Hugh’s face in turn. Paul tried to take in the details of him but stuttered at reality that Hugh was here. In the same room, breathing the same air, for the first time in seven years.
Paul couldn’t even tell what his body was doing, numb and feeling too much all at once. Unable to look away from the dear face in front of him. Then the quietest voice but ringing loud in the silence, breaking slightly. “Paul?” Hugh’s lips trembling, eyes glistening and something deep in Paul immediately reacts. Stepping closer and reaching out, as Hugh does the same.
The touch breaks the fragile moment between them, grasping each other tightly. Paul’s face is wet as he presses it against Hugh’s, unable to tell who’s tears they are, heaving out heavy breaths as they hold tight, shaking.
Hugh is whispering as he holds Paul close. “You made it. You made it back.” Hugh feels so strong holding him, even while he trembles in Paul’s arms as much as Paul shakes himself. They are warm and solid and real to each other, finally as Paul keeps softly repeating “Hugh” while soaking in the reality of the man in his arms.
Hugh is so warm against Paul. He had forgotten the feel of his beard scraping against his skin as he presses his face into Hugh’s neck, taking in his heat and smell. He can’t help but press his lips against Hugh’s skin, feeling the stubble and the shape of his jaw under his mouth. He can’t stop himself now, trying to take in the smell and taste to fill the void of missing everything about Hugh for so long.
A soft gasp from Hugh makes Paul begin to pull back, wanting to check Hugh is all right, before he feels Hugh tilt his head, inviting Paul closer while his hand slides into Paul’s hair. Reassured, Paul goes back to pressing his lips against Hugh’s jaw, the stubble making his mouth tingle, the dampness from Hugh’s tears salty on his tongue.
Reaching the corner of Hugh’s mouth Paul felt his breath hitch, too many emotions to keep track of overwhelming everything as Hugh turned his head the fraction needed for their lips to finally meet. It’s a string of messy kisses. Both of them sniffing through tears and gasping in breaths as they continue, over and over, until they slowly come to a stop, foreheads pressed together, breathing each other in.
It’s a long time before they part enough to see each other more clearly. Both of their faces reddened and splotchy from tears.
They still barely speak, watery smiles around huffed, choked laughs as they finally look each other in the face again. There are new lines around Hugh’s eyes and mouth, grey in his hair and beard, but he’s as beautiful as ever. His eyes even brighter than Paul remembers, tears still spilling from them as he takes Paul in just as intently.
Stroking the tears from each other’s faces, before leaning in again, cheeks and noses brushing together. Their hands haven’t stopped gripping and holding each other, between gentle touches and caresses. Eventually they move to sit on one of the couches, one arm firmly wrapped around each other as Paul entwines his fingers around Hugh’s as they lean in close.
“You got here fast.”
Hugh laughs a little, as he strokes over Paul’s fingers clasped in his. “I was at a conference, when an alert came through with an emergency message. That Voyager had arrived and was heading to Earth.”
Wiping his face as he keeps pressing against Paul’s side.
“I dropped everything to travel here as fast as possible.”
“Thank you.” It feels like an inadequate thing to say, but Paul finds himself lost for words. Anything that wasn’t seeing and feeling Hugh wasn’t processing. The tiredness and exhaustion from the emotional journey of the day was starting to catch up to him though. His face beginning to feel drawn and tight from the dried tears.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long and it still feels like it’s come out of nowhere. Are you ok? Were you hurt?” Concern and worry spreading over Hugh’s face
Something intense blooming in Paul’s chest at seeing the Doctor in Hugh coming out, just like always. Happy to reassure him.
“I’m fine. I promise. I had a standard check-up already. They’ll do a full medical later on. The trip back was a lot smoother than when we left.”
A shaky breath escaping Hugh on hearing the words, instinctively leaning against each other again.
“Do you have to go anywhere? How long can you stay with me?”
A serious intense look comes over Hugh’s face at that.
“Paul. I’m not going anywhere for a very long time if I can help it. Certainly not today. Wherever you need or want to go, I’m with you.”
Swallowing hard, Paul felt more moisture at the corners of his eyes again. A wobbly smile managed to form as he kept hold of Hugh’s hands, looking at him for a long moment, taking him in.
“Good.” The word getting past the lump in his throat. Leaning forward to press a long kiss against Hugh’s lips.
Stroking the back of Hugh’s hands with his thumbs, Paul searched for the most right feeling inside before taking a deep breath as he committed himself to asking. “We don’t have to disembark yet. There’s still a lot to sort out, so, would you like to come back with me to Voyager?”
A soft gentle smile touched Hugh’s lips at Paul’s request. “I would love to.” Squeezing his hands in return. “Do you want to head back now?” Nodding, they both rose and made their way over to the small washroom attached to private waiting area.
Inside the small room, Paul took some deep breaths, still overwhelmed and filled with emotion. Splashing some water on his face to try and shake himself out of his daze. Smiling as he swapped places with Hugh and like him, waited just outside the door. Gripping hands again once they were ready.
Relief and happiness settled over Paul at that. The firm grip as they made their way out of the private area, heading towards the transporter terminal. There were a few Voyager crew around on the way, Paul nodding to them as they passed. Everyone from the ship was in an odd moment of change. Their home for the last seven years, through strife and hardships and success, was now about to be left behind. Not right away, but over the coming days and weeks people would be going home to their families, or given housing on Earth if needed, as everyone started to adjust to their long journey being over.
It had been desperately painful for Paul. Being alone and bereft of his partner, cut off from him in such a profound and immutable way. While the ship’s crew had also gradually become a closer family to him than he had ever been expecting. He felt strange at the thought of leaving the ship, the safety of it having been such a constant for him, but now, at least for a short time, he could share it with Hugh, as they had meant to all those years ago.