"And then 2-year-old Sam stamped his foot and said, 'Chrissy is sleeping with her bunny.' I have no clue what this kid is trying to tell me. Heck, I'm not even sure his parents did either." Richard laughs as Christine covers her blushing face.

"Can anyone understand, Sam, now?" Jacob laughed, and good naturally nudged Christine.

"Fair point," Richard chuckled, then continued, "The only thing we can think of is that Christine was napping somewhere with her stuffed bunny bun-bun."

"I take it you weren't." Jacob leaned over and kissed a deeper, blushing Christine.

"We were looking everywhere. No sign of Chrissy anywhere in the house, the barn, the fields, nowhere." Richard gestured widely. "Finally, Sam kicked me in the shin, led me over to the rabbit pen, pointed, and again said, 'Chrissy is sleeping with her bunny.'"

Jacob looked to Christine, "You were asleep in the rabbit hutch?"

"Sam was right. Chrissy was curled up in the rabbit hutch, sound asleep with her real-life bunny rabbit." Richard looked at his daughter.

"You deserved the told you so that Sam gave you." Christine teased back.

"And he hasn't let you live it down since, I bet." Jacob saluted Richard with his wine glass.

"No bet," Richard wiped his mouth with his napkin. He was about to say something but was interrupted by the door chime, "Pardon me. I also invited one of our researchers to join us." Richard stood to answer the door.

"So much for a quiet family dinner," Christine grumbled as she sipped her wine.

Jacob squeezed her hand. "At least he got the embarrassing stories out of the way before they arrived." Christine tipped her head in agreement.

A moment Richard returned to the dining area, blocking the couple's view of the person who had entered the quarters. "Christine, you know the paper you did on the treatment of Olmstead disease?"

"Yeah, what about?" Christine asked, confused.

"Star Fleet medical wants you and this pain in the ass, along with the other contributors, to present it on April 20th at a symposium at Star Fleet headquarters." Christine's jaw dropped. "That said, one of the researchers you cited was onboard and wanted to meet with you before you headed back to SB 71. I hope you don't mind, but I invited them to join us for dinner."

"Please," Jacob stood and helped the still gobsmacked Christine to her feet. "We would love for them to join us."

With a smirk, Richard stepped aside to let the new person in the quarters.

"Hey, peanut." Alan Scott was revealed behind Richard. "I hear you are giving me work to do."

"What are you doing here?" Christine went over and hugged her honorary uncle.

"I work here, or did you forget." Alan teased and kissed Christine's cheek.

"It is good to see you again, sir." Jacob offered his hand to Alan.

"Good to see you up and mobile, Commander." Alan smiled and shook his hand.

"Alan, please sit before these two eat it all."

"Hey!"

"Thank you for the invitation." Alan laughed and took a seat across from the couple.

"How long have you been on board?" Christine asked as she passed the salad to Alan.

"I've been locked in a holodeck with cadets for the past two days for a training exercise," Alan accepted the salad from Christine. "When Richard offered a real meal versus more rations, I jumped on the chance. So I get to share that meal with the two of you, which is a bonus."

"Field training rations?" Jacob made a face. "I'd rather eat Christine's cooking."

"Jacob!"

"What? It's a compliment." Jacob teased. The other men laughed at their antics.

After a few moments of quiet eating, Christine put her fork down again, "I know you having dinner with us is not only seeing family. You have something else on your mind."

Alan's eyes flicked to Richard, "I need to work on my poker face."

"I told you. It would help if you went back to the dark lenses. They can still read your eyes." Richard saluted Alan with his wine glass.

"Smart Ass," Alan tapped the side of his glasses, and they became opaque. "You aren't wrong, Peanut." Alan pulled a pad from his bag. "I have both of your official orders."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Jacob sighed.

Alan handed Jacob the pad before going back to the steak dinner. "Christine is to return to her duties at Star Base 71; however, Dr. Pagnango and Christine will be working with me to go over what their findings have been using the device I created. I know the presentation is in 6 weeks, but that time will pass quickly."

"And Jacob?" Christine asked as she reached under the table and took Jacob's hand.

Alan sighed and turned his head to Jacob, "He is to return to SB 71. However, he is to spend the next four weeks wrapping up his reports and findings from his work with the Cerberus unit."

Jacob relaxed back in his chair and squeezed Christine's hand back.

"In four weeks, the both of you are to report to Star Fleet headquarters," Alan gestured to both. "Christine will work with the bioengineering lab there, while Jacob…." Alan rubbed his free hand through his hair. "Jacob must report for his fitness assessment and review board determination."

"I learn my fate with Star Fleet, in other words," Jacob said flatly.

"You have made great progress in the past six months, son." Richard tried to reassure him.

"But was it enough?" Jacob let go of Christine and crossed his arms.

"Speaking from experience, Star Fleet doesn't throw away good." Alan laid a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "You are good at what you do, but what you do for Star Fleet will change."

"How much is what worries me." Jacob sighed and looked up at the ceiling closing his eyes.

"I won't lie, Jacob." Alan said thoughtfully, "You are not the same man you were before your injury."

Jacob huffed and rolled his eyes.

"And that isn't a bad thing." Alan continued, "Paths change, and that is life. It is what you do in that new way that matters."

Jacob closed his eyes and wiped his face, "What matters is being with Christine and the kids. I'll take a job cleaning recycler if it means staying with my family."

"Told you he was smart," Richard interjected with some levity. "And it didn't take Robin kicking his ass to do it."

"Ass," Alan playfully reported while the couple chuckled. "Regardless, Jacob, if you are open to this new path your life is taking, I think you will do well. You are not the first in the family to go through this, but I hope you will be the last."

"Thanks, Sir," Jacob said sincerely.

"Welcome," Alan smiled, "Now, before the food gets cold, tell me about the kids. How are they doing in school?"

Accepting the change in subject, everyone when back to their dinner and wrapped them in talk of family.