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They were in Cologne, Germany at ESA for press tour rounds. And for whatever reason jet lag was being especially cruel to Christina on this particular day of outreach events. She’d slept terrible after their first leg and she still hadn’t been able to shift her circadian rhythm. As soon as their last meeting was done at 3:00 in the afternoon she found herself bee-lining it to the closest exit trying to locate where their organized transportation back to the hotel was going to be. Jeremy found her frenetically scanning the front doors of the agency.
“Nana, you ok?” He asks.
She took a deep inhale to try to compose herself, although she knew it was no use, Jeremy could always see right through her.
“Just jet-lagged Jer. There’s very little I wouldn’t do for a hot hotel shower as soon as possible.”
“Copy that. Here I’ll text the ESA coordinator, I had a text chain started a few days ago and I’ll find out the pick up post. And if that moves like molasses, I’ll personally order you an UBER stat ok?” He says rubbing her shoulders while searching his phone for the chain, “Let’s get you out of here.”
“Where are Reid and Victor?” She asks.
“Alexander Gerst ran off with our Navy pilots, had something very important to show them. All I know is Reid looked at me with the biggest grin on his face as he followed Alex down the hall shouting back something along the lines of: “He’s the Head of the Astronaut Operation’s Division now, I gotta do what he says. He’s the Boss!” Which to me, immediately translated into: They’re drinking beer and having a long overdue ping pong rematch from Expedition 40 in Alex’ office, and Victor's there to keep score."
Christina gives him a quick grin.
“I’ll text the group chat and let them know I’m taking you back to the hotel.” Jeremy adds gentle concern for his exhausted teammate sweeping over his face.
“Thanks Jer,” She responded leaning her weary frame gently into his side.
Jeremy Hansen has her back to the hotel in 18 minutes. The man is no nonsense. He walks her to her room,
“Nana try to get some sleep ok? Do you want me to have room service send something up, or I could go on a grocery store run? I know you and chocolate, rumour is the Germans know what’s up with that.”
“I love you my sweet Canadian crewmate. Please do not ever change.” she laces her arms around him quickly before adding “But I think I’m going to be fine. My body is just pissed off because it’s realized I’ve deprived it an entire night’s sleep at some point during this tour. The sleep deficit has been logged and accounted for and payback is a bitch.”
“We have an event tomorrow Lobby call at 8 ok?” He reminds before asking, “want a courtesy call?”
“I promise I’ll be there, bright eyed, bushy tailed. 0800. But right now I intend to sleep for eleven hours straight.” She smiles.
She stands on her toes and quickly gives him a brief chaste kiss on his cheek “I’m sure going to miss you when you go back home Jer, Canada is very lucky.” Her eyes get a little glossy.
“We promised we weren’t going to do this yet,” he smiles.
“You’re right, I know. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Night Nana.”
“Goodnight Weed.”
“Hey, I’m a floor up in 518 if you need anything ok? And Reid’s right next door to you in 410... that is if he ever makes his way back from adventures with Alexander.”
She is all too happy to jump into the world’s hottest shower. Her muscles were sore, her bones exhausted and her brain was longing to be powered down. The scent of Balmain soap and shampoo circulated the entire bathroom and she dried off quickly knowing pyjamas and a full night’s sleep were now within her grasp. She was settled in quickly, blinds drawn on the late afternoon sunshine, and she was completely comfortable under the queen sized covers. She was out in minutes.
An hour later there was unyielding knock at the connecting room door. She looked at the time on her phone. 4:30pm. She flicked on the bedside lamp and wondered who on earth would be making such a racket on the inside door to her room. She shook her head as the realization set in.
Reid Wiseman.
She opened the door to him flashing a dopey sideways grin, grey eyes sparkling, laptop open and minibar bottles in hand. He smelt ever so slightly of malt lager and salted pretzels.
“Reid?” She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the sunlight streaming in from his side of the adjoining room door. He glided past the threshold, shutting the door behind him, and pulling her with him over to the bed.
“Christina it’s 20 minutes to the Soyuz launch I got the stream all fired up. We’ve got to celebrate Anil going up!"
She hated to damper his enthusiasm when he was like this, excitable, full of wonder and never ending support for a fellow astronaut, so she inhaled and smiled wearily at him.
“You had fun with Alex huh?” She teased softly.
“Christina were you sleeping?” He says just now noting her bed covers askew.
She nods up at him. He puts his laptop down on the bed and looks at her full of concern.
“Are you ok?” His left hand moving to her neck a thumb grazing along her jaw.
“I’m fine Reid, just jet lagged.”
He hugs her gently, “I’m so sorry, I’ll go…” he starts.
“I’m awake now,” she sighs into his neck, “stay, but get in bed.”
“I brought refreshments!” He smiles holding up two mini bottles of vodka from the minibar. “In honour of Soyuz.”
“I’m pretty sure that particular brand is from Poland. But I get the sentiment,” she deadpans, “and I’m going to pass, but you go ahead.” She smiles, lifting up the covers to crawl back in bed.
He puts the bottles on the nightstand and kicks off his sneakers before climbing in after her.
In seconds he’s tangled her comfortably in his arms.
It had become a thing a couple of years ago during Artemis training and it was something they never could quite shake. It wasn’t every hotel or every out of town base crew quarters, but it was most of them. They had always managed to stay within the blurry lines they had drawn for themselves. Completely clothed, but always as close as possible. It deepened their trust and reliance on one another, it strengthened their relationship, it was safe and an anchor to earth when everything else felt like unpredictable microgravity, by this point he could feel what she was thinking by touch and she could see his next move based on the way his breath sounded.
Reid set the laptop with the launch feed on the mattress in front of them, his chin resting on the top of Christina’s head, his arm draped across her midriff as he spooned her close to his torso.
“Once they dock we’ll definitely get a glimpse of Mother Goose up on station.” He whispered against the shell of her ear.
She smiled, she sure missed Jess, she was so elated to see her as Commander on the ISS these last few months, and she knew that witnessing her welcome new astronauts on board meant she’d be coming back to Earth soon.
Christina turned her head back over her shoulder to look at him.
“I might have to catch highlights of docking, I will not make it six more hours Reid, I’m fighting for the 7 minutes until lift off as it is.”
He leans in to press a few soft kisses against her forehead.
“Whatever happens, I’ll be right here when you wake up.”