Meeting Parents

Because no matter how old you are, some things are still a little awkward

Denise Marshall waited in the shuttle terminal, glaring slightly at the message reading 'Delayed' next to her parents' flight. The Enterprise would only be here for a day to resupply, but her parents had business interests on this planet so for once it had looked like things would work out for them to spend some time together in person.

She had chosen Starfleet, but only seeing her family over subspace comm was difficult sometimes. Maybe not as difficult as actually having them around all the time, but she did still miss them. Now the shuttle delay was eating into the time she'd carved out to spend with them. Well, the Captain wasn't likely to object if she spent the first hour of her next duty shift finishing a tour for her folks. He knew that she was always on call anyway and, despite the fact that Kirk went through women the way some people went through potato chips, he was surprisingly sentimental when it came to the idea of family.

It might actually work out. By the time they arrived Sam might be finished with all the excuses he had to be busy. For a person who wouldn't so much as blink if someone stuck a phaser in his face, he was (in her opinion) being unusually skittish about something that wasn't even a 'meet the parents' scenario. They'd met before after all. In fact, she and her parents had met his parents, brother, grandmother and small army of extended family at the Enterprise's (re)launch party. Granted it had all been in a quick 'This is Mr. Giotto who was also on my last ship' sort of way, but her father had liked him - or at least been relieved to see one senior officer that didn't 'look like a teenager'. Of course, at the time they just been friends but it wasn't like she was planning on introducing him as her lover. ("Mom, Dad, you remember Mr. Giotto, I'm sleeping with him now." Not a statement she would ever come close to uttering even if you combined spores and polywater infection).

Of course there was a chance her mother might realize anyway. Her mother could read her like a book, but Mom was the soul of discretion and wouldn't say anything if Denise didn't. However, if she did notice, Sam would notice that she'd noticed, which would make for an interesting visit since her father could be counted upon to remain completely oblivious. ...On the other hand, Sam might be right about expecting this to be a little awkward.

"Denise! I didn't expect to see you here!"

Speaking of awkward. She turned and smiled a perfectly fake smile at the man she had been seeing before she'd shipped out on the Enterprise. "I didn't expect to see you here either Julien."

"Just passing through, but my connecting flight doesn't leave until tomorrow." He gave her a hopeful grin. "Hey, if you're free this evening, I'm staying in room -"

"I'm waiting for my parents' shuttle."

"I'll take that as a 'no'," Julien chuckled. It hadn't been a terribly serious relationship but they'd parted on good terms, so he'd figured it was worth a shot. He feigned a dramatic sigh. "I guess I'm on my own - unless you've got a friend you'd be willing to fix me up with."

Denise shook her head. Julien was young, witty and brilliant enough to have landed a plum position at Memory Alpha, but she had definitely traded up.

He pouted a little. "Not even an acquaintance?"

Make that, traded way up. Hmm. Come to think of it, maybe she did have a suggestion for him. "I don't have time to make introductions, but our ship's new historian is a redhead, about my height. You'd probably like her. Marla McGivers - she said something about visiting the Central Museum today."

Specifically, she'd asked Sam if he wanted to go see it with her. Denise was not usually territorial when it came to men, but even if Sam was not at all interested in someone who was a little too fascinated by tough guy warrior-types, McGivers was beginning to get on her nerves. (If the woman ever asked Sam to sit for a portrait, whether he refused or not there was going to be trouble). Julien was a far cry from barbarian hero, but he was a pretty good actor and willing to go along with just about anything if he was interested in a woman.

"Rehead in a museum, you know me too well." Julien winked and gave her arm an affectionate squeeze. "It is good to see you again. Drop me a comm sometime, okay?"

"Sure. Now go," she made a little shooing motion. "My parents will be arriving soon and I don't intend to spend the next few hours answering questions about anything other than my career."

.

"And this is our First Officer, Mr. Spock."

The Vulcan inclined his head slightly. "It is gratifying to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall."

"Sochya eh dif, Spokh." Her mother raised her hand in formal greeting.

One slanted eyebrow moved upward. "You speak Vulcanir?"

"Only enough for pleasantries," Mom demurred.

"We entertain a variety of business associates," Dad explained. "And my wife has always considered it rude not to be able to at least greet a guest in their own language."

"It is an admirable sentiment. I see from whence your daughter developed her sense of diplomatic nuance."

"Thank you, Mr. Spock." Mom, who was very good at nuance, was trying not to smile too much in front of a Vulcan. "It is an honor to meet you, but we don't wish to detain you from your duties."

"It is no imposition. I was en route to the shuttle bay as I have requisitions that the Captain is required to sign. It was my intention to relieve Mr. Giotto of assisting him so that he would be free to meet with you."

Mr. Spock was not always quite as good at nuance. Denise would bet anything that whatever Sam had said to him about being tied up with the Captain while her parents were aboard had been meant to be interpreted in an entirely different way. She suppressed a grin. "Then we'll come with you Mr. Spock. I'm sure my parents would like to see the Captain as well."

.

"Oh come on Chief," Kirk was saying as they arrived. "Just a little Jedi Force-magic would save everyone a lot of trouble with unloading these crates."

Giotto tilted an eyebrow. "Sir..."

But the Captain's eyes had darted to the new arrivals and he was already heading over to greet them with a welcoming smile. "Lt. Marshall, these are your parents? Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, sir," her father answered. "We're pleased to see you again."

"Please, call me Jim." Kirk glanced at Sam with a slightly pained look. "I already get way too many 'sirs' around here."

"Mom, Dad, you remember Mr. Giotto."

"Yes, of course. We're happy to see you again too." Dad was. He still wasn't quite comfortable with a boyish Captain being in charge his daughter's ship.

Sam shook the proffered hand. "And you sir." He nodded to her mother. "Ma'am."

"See?" Kirk rolled his eyes a little.

"Ma'am is a little formal Commander," Mom was looking amused. Possibly too amused. "Please, call me Helen."

"Walter," her father added.

"Well then, Walter and Helen," Kirk interjected. "I hope you're enjoying the tour. Have you seen the Bridge yet?"

Spock cleared his throat very slightly. Civilians weren't generally allowed on the Bridge.

The Captain took the padd from him, quickly signed, and then waved the stylus dismissively. "I know regulations but I think we can make an exception. I'm pretty sure half the medical equipment on this ship came from their company. I'm probably more of a security risk than they are." Kirk flashed grin. "Right, Chief?"

Sam's lips pressed together momentarily. The answer was yes, but he wasn't going to say it. "I don't see an issue with allowing the Marshalls on the Bridge."

"Excellent," Kirk beamed. He loved an excuse to show off his favorite Lady. "Spock if you can take over here, I'll bring them up so no one else can object."

Spock's head tilted. "It was my intention to relieve Mr. Giotto so that he would have an opportunity to visit with Lt. Marshall's family."

Denise bit her cheeks to keep a straight face. Sam was very good at not showing a reaction, but he hadn't been prepared for that. "Thank you, Mr. Spock, but that's ...not necessary. And I'm not a Bridge officer. The Captain would be a better guide."

"I don't want to cut into time for friends of the family," Kirk said. "We're almost done here though. I'm sure Mr. Spock can handle wrapping this up?"

"It should not prove difficult," the edge of Spock's mouth twitched very slightly as he added, "sir."

.

"I never knew it could do that," McCoy drawled lying on a biobed with a growing grin.

"There are features Starfleet didn't want," Dad was explaining. "but it was easier to just disable the display options than to actually remove them."

"Yeah, I can see why," Kirk quipped. "If I'd known those beds had a massage function, I'd have been in here more often."

"You're in here too often," Bones shot back. Then he lapsed into a lazy smile. "This function's going to be reserved for exhausted medical personnel after they've had to patch you back up." He glanced up at Sam. "I might make an exception for people in security that have to put up with his shenanigans," and looked over at Denise, "and diplomatic officers that have to straighten them out, of course."

Sam's eyes moved to look at something on the instrument table and it almost made Denise blush. It had taken her a little while, but she recognized now when he was studiously focusing on some random piece of equipment to redirect himself from something he shouldn't be thinking about.

"Hey, if it makes you less grumpy, I'm all for it," Kirk replied. He grinned at Dad. "So what else can these babies do?"

Denise suppressed a sigh. She'd saved sickbay for last because she'd known how hard it would be to drag Dad out, but with the Captain encouraging him it was going to be impossible.

Mom stepped in. "You can go ahead and show them, Walter, but I think I'd like to sit down for awhile."

"Are you feeling alright?" McCoy was up instantly.

"I'm fine Doctor. I'd just like to have a chat with my daughter that doesn't focus on business."

"Sorry, I guess the tour went a little over," Kirk grinned sheepishly. "She's just such a great ship. Chief, why don't you go with them over to 10 Forward so you'll have some time to visit."

"Unfortunately I'm scheduled to run advanced hand-to-hand in forty minutes and still need to check my messages," Sam nodded politely to her parents before leaving. "It was a pleasure to see you again. You're daughter's a fine officer and it's a privilege to serve with her."

Tactical retreat. Denise briefly calculated plans for assaulting his fall back position, but her mother was already making farewells and signaling for her to join her as she left.

A few steps into the corridor and Mom grinned at her. "I don't think I've ever seen a man so in love."

Denise's eyebrows rose.

"Your Captain would marry this ship if he could," Mom continued. "He's as bad as your father and that restored racing yacht."

Whew. "It's hard not to appreciate a beautiful ship." Mom joked about the boat being 'the other woman' but she loved sailing too. She was the one who had taught Denise how tie knots and handle sail.

"Your Mr. Giotto doesn't seem like the type to have an affair with a ship." Her mother gave her a far-too-knowing smile.

Drat. Game over. No wonder Sam had disappeared. "History books," Denise conceded. "He gets completely absorbed, especially if there's a lot of detail."

"He's a little older than your last historian," her mother chuckled.

"Mom..."

"You know I'm the last person to object to that." Dad was almost 15 years older. Mom insisted that of the two of them, she was more mature. "But he's obviously a career officer. It can be difficult to persuade older men to change direction if you decide you want pursue a different career path."

Mom still hadn't given up on her only child taking over the company someday. Denise arched an eyebrow. "I've never noticed you having trouble with that."

"Your father is smart enough to realize that I have better business sense."

"It's not like I'm settling down with him." ...although Sam had obviously been devoted to his late wife and he probably would make a good father...
...dear God, where had that come from? Mom was getting to her. "Hardly anyone even knows we're together."

"He does seem a little different than your usual type," Mom tilted an eyebrow back at her. "You'll notice that I don't say that's a bad thing. It's about time you found someone you could actually depend on."

Denise frowned. "I can depend on myself."

"And so can everyone else, but it's much better when that quality is reciprocated." Mom put a hand on her arm. "Dear, I'm trying to say that I like him. And as amusing as it is to have a 'fleet Security Chief a little scared of me, you might want to tell him that before the next time we visit."

"Mom, I -"

"You are in love with him," Mom smiled smugly. "I don't know how everyone else doesn't know. Honestly, the way you look at him, you might as well have said 'You remember Mr. Giotto? I'm planning to marry him'."

Denise sighed. There were times when she wished Sam really knew Jedi mind tricks - and could teach them to her.

AN: The poll says that Sam and Denise getting married should be a separate story, but since that that means there will be a break in this one after which they'll be moving into married quarters, I wrote this as a lead-in/bridge.

We will now take a short commercial break while Sam and Denise get married. The first chapter should be up on Wednesday. Story title: Rule 3b.

Please r&r.