Charlene and Uhura stroll down memory lane and talk about the future.
Note: So I found two partially finished scenes lying around in my stash and married them together to make this baby scene. Well, it started as a baby at 800 words but they grow up so fast don't they?
Memory Lane
"Well, well, look at Mrs. Uhura out for a stroll. I'm surprised your husband lets you out of his sight," Charlene said, hooking her arm with Uhura's. They'd met up with each other in the corridor of the engineering section.
"Spock's off doing science stuff and I'm bored. I can't lie around all day like a princess. Thought I'd come down here and see how the other half lives," Uhura said.
"What other half?" Charlene asked with a frown on her glistening lips. Charlene had a way of always looking put together even after a 12-hour shift.
Uhura always admired that about her. Today Uhura was dressed casually in one of her many loose fitting kaftans. Even though she had not put on that much weight yet, she felt rather frumpy standing next to her friend.
"The half that gets to work instead of lying around all day on their rapidly growing ass," Uhura whined.
"Oh, hush. Your ass isn't growing. It's just right." Charlene gave her a playful pinch. "Besides, I bet you get no complaints from Spock."
"I do not. He seems to like me, flaws and all," Uhura said.
"See. You've landed the best guy on this ship. Heck in the fleet. He's going to be a great dad too."
"Yeah, I hope so."
"Uh-oh. Is that doubt I hear? Girl, don't make me have to put you over my knee. You two are in a happy place. Spock is a good man. He loves you. You two are having a baby together. That's a formula for success if ever there was one."
"Sarek and Amanda love each other too and look how Sarek behaves?"
"How does he behave?" Charlene asked.
"He's kind of cold and aloof. He and Spock didn't get along for years, you know? Sarek is kind of intimidating."
"Well, you know him better than I do. I only saw the ambassador from afar but he seems par for the course in terms of Vulcans."
"That's exactly it. Vulcans are not human. They have different customs and they raise their children differently."
"So? Spock turned out alright, all things considered. He has a human parent, so he can't be that different. Besides, if you have questions about how to raise your child properly, now's the time to have those discussions with your mate. Don't wait until some decision needs to be made and you two find yourselves at loggerheads. How many times do I have to tell you to talk!"
"Okay MOM!" Uhura said. "I know we need to talk. I'm just thinking out loud to my best friend, is that okay? Spock and I are still getting used to the idea of having a baby. It's so scary. I can still hardly believe something is growing in my belly."
Charlene patted Uhura's arm. "I know, but you seem to be taking the news of this pregnancy all in stride?"
"You remember the night you dragged me home, and I took that pregnancy test? I was devastated when it came out negative even though I thought I wasn't ready for a child." Uhura laughed to think how wrong that test was.
"Yeah, I'm sorry I brought you that faulty test kit."
"It wasn't your fault, Char. You were being a good friend. Dr. McCoy isn't really sure, but he thinks I was not pregnant enough yet or that the Vulcan influence mixed up my hormones, so the test didn't detect it right away. But I think it happened after I took the test. That day, Spock stopped by and-"
"And you two got busy?" Charlene raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"Well, that's when we got quarantined together? While we lay in my bunk, I felt something change in me. I had horrible cramps. Spock theorizes that's when implantation actually occurred." Uhura grinned dreamily. "Well, after that day, we decided to stay together and give the marriage a try. Even then, I couldn't get the idea of motherhood out of my mind. I thought I had dodged a bullet, but secretly I mourned the missed opportunity. I suppose it awoke something in me that I had let go dormant and now look at me." She pointed to her flat belly. "I'm so ok with this. It was meant to be," Uhura said.
Charlene couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend's sappiness. "Yes, I can see it was meant for you. You and Spock are sickeningly in love these days. I suppose my work here is done. I feel like Mary Poppins ready to take off with my umbrella to somewhere else."
"No, you better not. I still need you." Uhura squeezed Charlene's arm close.
"I'm only teasing. I'm here as long as you need me. I told you, I've got your back."
"Good. This morning I told my family there is someone special I want them to meet. When we get to Vulcan, I'm going to call and introduce them to Spock. I'll need all the support I can get when they find out."
"Oh my god! Look at you doing the responsible thing." Charlene patted Uhura's head in praise and pretended to cry dabbing at her eyes, "I can't believe my baby's all grown and having a baby."
Uhura swatted Charlene's hand away. "You're not really my mom. You know that, right?"
Charlene got serious again. "I know, but after all the drama you put me through, I feel like I've raised you these past few years."
They ended up back at Uhura's quarters, where they sat next to one another in the dining area on the loveseat sipping tea. So much had changed in the past few months. It was a far cry from the night Charlene sat in that very seat, nursing her friend's broken heart and listening with shock to the sordid tale of Vulcan mating practices.
She bent low and whispered in Uhura's ear, "So tell me the truth. Is it Spock's baby?"
"Char! How can you even ask?" Uhura clutched invisible pearls.
"You know I'm only teasing? That's what I asked you that night, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. That night seems so long ago now. I was miserable and scared, but you knew even then, didn't you?"
"Yeah. I knew you and Spock were more to each other than you were letting on. And look at you now. You wasted no time in making it happen."
"I didn't do it on purpose. It just happened... but I really want this, Charlene. All of it. Even the crazy scary in-laws."
"I know you do, honey. You were meant to love and be loved by someone who adores you. And I can't wait to be an auntie. Or godmother. I am the godmother aren't I?"
"What's that you say?" Uhura held a hand to her ear. "GRANDMA, you say?"
"Now you stop it! I'm not anybody's grandma, hopefully not yet anyway," Charlene said thoughtfully.
"Of course, you are the godmother. Who else would it be? And for the godfather..."
"Hold on there Ny, don't you think Spock gets a say? I don't think it's like picking a bridesmaid and best man. You pick godparents who are going to take the role seriously for life."
"Yeah, I guess so. In that case, I suspect Jim and Leonard will be fighting over that duty and I don't want any part of it."
"You know that's right. They are gonna flip when you tell them."
"Well, of course, Leonard already knows. He knew before me," she grinned.
"I meant about being the godfathers," Charlene said. "Of course everybody close to you knows you're pregnant."
Uhura looked guilty. "Well, we still haven't decided when we are going to tell the rest of the world, but I had to tell my best friends even though you already guessed," Uhura pouted again, just thinking about that.
"Thanks," Charlene grinned. "But it's only a matter of time before somebody lets something slip. It's best to get in front of these things."
"I think it's up to Spock if he will tell Jim now or wait. I suspect if he's anything like me will tell him soon."
"Jim doesn't know?" It surprised Charlene. "He is going to be stunned when he finds out. He'll be happy, and then sad, and then worried, and then excited and then worried again," Charlene predicted.
"How do you know how the captain will react?" Nyota asked Charlene.
"Well, I just know the captain. I told you we dated," Charlene said quietly. "He hasn't changed that much in all these years. Besides, he's a man, that's just how they are," she tried changing the focus of the conversation. "And knowing the captain, he'll be happy and then worry until he sees the baby breathing fresh air. After all, this baby will be one of his crew."
"But forget Jim. I really can't wait to see my godchild. I bet you he or she will be gorgeous, too. In fact, your little girl will be a heartbreaker just like her mama. She can't help but be beautiful and smart. Can she?"
"What if it's a boy?" Uhura asked.
"Oh, he'll be a heartbreaker just like his daddy. Tall, dark, devilishly handsome, and wickedly smart. I can't want to see the havoc created by the beautiful babies you and Spock have. Your kids are going to be amazing."
"I just want him or her to be healthy and safe." Uhura patted her belly.
"I know, sweetie, that's what all parents want for their kids. They'll be healthy and safe all right. You've got an entire ship full of crewmates who will see to it that they thrive."
"Thank you, Charlene. Whatever would I do without you?"
"I don't know, girl," Charlene said, and she hugged Uhura.
"You know, I might have to keep away from you and Spock for a little while. Y'all got my maternal instincts on full alert. Now is not the time for me and my ovaries to be thinking about babies," she joked as she stroked Uhura's head.
"Why not? You're young, healthy, and beautiful. All you have to do is snap up some nice guy and join the baby club."
"No thanks. That ship has sailed for me. I'd make a terrible mom now. I'm too selfish," she said sadly. "No. You and Spock will make this work, though. You want this and you're ready for it. And you two are doing it together with your eyes wide open, as it should be done. You can't do this all on your own, no matter what all the new-age mumbo jumbo says," Charlene said vehemently. "It takes a village to raise a child up the right way."
Uhura sighed, feeling as if she'd just stepped on a hornet's nest. "Okay... Charlene. I know. I'm sorry I brought it up. I know you're into your career and I know you're still looking for Mr. Right. It's just that when you're happy, you want everybody around you to be happy too," she explained as an apology.
Charlene huffed and let Uhura go. "I know, and I'm not upset. I never meant to upset you, either. You're the lady of the hour. How should we celebrate?"
"Celebrate what?"
"Celebrate you and your pregnancy."
"I don't know about that. What do people usually do when they are secretly pregnant?" Uhura asked.
"I don't know either. I never knew anybody who was secretly pregnant and wanted to celebrate it." Charlene said.
That statement made Uhura sad. Most women in the service had to leave when they got pregnant and it was not so much a time for celebrations as of sad goodbyes. Well, not for her. She wasn't leaving this ship until she was damn good and ready.
There were new rules in Starfleet about families on ships to protect people like her. If she were single, then yes, she'd have to go on leave, and being off duty, she'd have to leave the ship. But Uhura was married. Therefore, as long as she has a spouse on board who was on active duty, Uhura was staying put.
One day single parents were going to have to stand up for their rights and tell Starfleet where to stick it! But that wasn't Uhura's battle. Some brave single parent would have to deal with that. For now, she had her own battles to deal with.
"Alcohol is definitely out," Charlene said. "What's the next best thing?"
"Sex," Nyota said without knowing what Charlene was even talking about.
Charlene stared at her. "Who are you and what have you done with my prudish friend?"
"She took your advice and got her pipes cleared. Now c'mon Charlene, loosen up."
"Girl, I can see pregnancy has made you feisty. But I think I know something that's even better than sex."
"No such thing," Nyota said.
Charlene rolled her eyes. "Not even Sulu's chocolate mousse?"
"Ok, it's a close second. Let's go pester Hikaru for freebies."
*/*/*
At Sulu's dining table, Uhura patted her full tummy. "I'm going to be as big as a whale by the time this baby comes with all the cravings I'm having lately."
"Me too girl, if I keep eating in sympathy with you. At least that'll be my excuse when I can't fit on the turbo lift," Charlene said as she licked her spoon clean.
Sulu sat frowning and staring at the two crew women who had invited themselves over to eat his food. "I wonder how it tasted?" he asked.
"Why didn't you have some?" Uhura asked as she ran her finger around the rim of the empty bowl. "It was delicious."
"I wanted to taste it, but I was afraid if I stuck my hand between the two of you I'd draw back a stump," Sulu said.
Uhura grinned at him. "Nah, I don't eat meat anymore."
"That's not what I heard," Charlene said. "You told me on your honeymoon-"
"Nope!" Sulu shouted as he covered his ears.
"Oh, take your hands down you big baby." Charlene pulled his hand away from Sulu's head. "I wasn't going to say Spock has a huge penis or something."
Sulu shot daggers from his eyes at Charlene as he pushed her hands away. "You just did!"
"Oops!" Charlene covered her mouth innocently.
"Oh come on now. You mean to tell me you don't want to hear anything about the honeymoon?" Uhura asked?
"No!" Sulu said stubbornly.
"Oh well," she shrugged. "I guess it's best you don't know, anyway. You'd never look at us the same." She looked and Charlene and they giggled together.
Sulu got up from his seat, stomped to his fridge and procured a fresh bowl heaping full of chocolaty goodness. He slammed it on the table, sat down, and grabbed a spoon. "Now, tell me everything."