Chapter 21

Arnold knocked on the door of Dave's quarters.

"Hey mate" Arnold said, "Me and the boys are going down to wet the baby's head, you coming?"

Dave thought about this, Arnold was going out with Kryten and Cat that meant that Kriss was alone with Chloë.

"No, Rimmer" Dave told him "I think I'm just going to stay here tonight"

"Suit yourself," he said, he turned to Kryten and Cat "come on then, Lister wants to stay here!"

Dave waited fifteen minutes, although it felt like an hour, before leaving his room and making his way down to the medi block. When he got there Kriss was asleep with Chloë in her arms. As he walked into her room Chloë started crying, which woke Kriss up.

"Hey Dave" Kriss said, "sorry she's hungry, I've got to feed her"

"Hey go ahead, I don't mind" Dave told her

"I'll chat to you while she's feeding"

"Okay"

It didn't take Kriss very long to get Chloë to latch on and start feeding.

"So" she continued the conversation with Dave "what are you doing here? I thought Arnold was taking you down to wet the baby's head"

"I didn't feel like it, " he told her "I thought you and Chloë could do with some company"

"Oh, that's nice" Kriss answered "thank you"

"How is she?" he gestured towards Chloë

"She's fine" Kriss answered "and Dave, please call her Chloë"

"I'm sorry" he said "it's just you told me our baby would be called Chloë"

"No, I told you my first baby would be called Chloë, it's always been the name I've wanted for my daughter and to be honest I think Chloë Rimmer-Kochanski is a lovely name"

"Yeah," Dave agreed, "it does sound good"

"Here, can you hold her for me" Kriss asked, "I need the loo"

"What if she cries?"

"Just sit her on your lap, hold her under the chin and pat her on her back" she told him "hold up, I'll show you"

After showing Dave what to do she left the room.

Arnold came back to see them, he saw Dave with Chloë

"What are you doing here?" Arnold asked him angrily "you told me that you'd be staying in all evening"

"I thought I'd come and keep Kriss Company," he told him

"Well, where is she?" Arnold asked, "I don't see her anywhere, all I can see is you holding my daughter"

"She's just popped to the loo," Dave told him "she asked me to look after Chloë while she went"

"Well I'm here now" Arnold told him "you can give her to me"

"Kriss left me with Chloë and told me not to give her to anyone"

"But I'm her father" he yelled, Chloë started crying

"I'm not going to give her to you in that state" Dave told Arnold "you're scaring her"

"But I'm her father" he screamed again

By this time Kriss had heard all the screaming and came out to see what the problem was.

"What's going on?" Kriss asked "Arnold why are you screaming?"

"Dave won't give me Chloë" Arnold answered

"I'm not surprised in that state," she was angry with him "you'll scare her and that is not the way I want Chloë to see her father"

"But…"

"Go away Arnold" Kriss snapped, "Leave me alone"

Dave put Chloë in her crib and started to leave as well

"No, Dave" she said, "I'd like you to stay"

Arnold left them to it, he was obviously not very happy there was Dave with Kriss and his baby. He went back in, he wasn't going to let this happen.

"Kristine" he shouted "I am not leaving you and Chloë here with Dave"

"Why?" she asked

"He's mad, he thinks Chloë is his child"

"No I don't" Dave said "I just wanna help Kriss with Chloë when you're not around"

"You can not see Chloë" Arnold told Dave sternly "and you definitely cannot hold her"

"Arnold," Kriss was getting very angry "you are not going to tell me who I can't spend my time with and you are definitely not going to tell me who I can let hold Chloë, now leave us alone" she looked at him and said "and I won't be bringing Chloë home to you tomorrow, I'll be taking her back to my quarters with Kryten. Good day"

"You alright Kriss?" Dave asked her

"Oh Dave" she said, "I don't know what to do"

"Are you going to take Chloë back to Kryten's quarters?"

"Yes" Kriss said, "it's almost like having my own quarters, Kryten wont interfere and he doesn't sleep so Chloë won't disturb him, she'll be safe there"

"What about Arnold?"

"Well" she said "he'll have to make a sincere apology before I let him anywhere near Chloë"

"Do you need a hug, Krissie?" he asked her "come here"

"Okay" Kriss fell into his arms. She looked up at him and leant forward. Their lips met. They both wanted it, it was very mutual" then Chloë began to cry.

"You better go Dave," she told him "I'll see you tomorrow"

Kriss finished off Chloë's feed and sat with her thinking about what had happened with Dave, she wasn't sure what she was to do about it but all these thoughts came rushing into her mind. They all meant the same thing 'was it Dave she really loved?'