Star Date 12310.13- 07:00 Hours – Star Base 71- Family Quarters UTC-2053
"Do you think Josh is having a good morning?" Brielle asked Jacob as he placed a glass of orange juice in front of her.
"I like to think so." Jacob shifted so that he leaned on the counter facing her. "He is back in classes, just like you will be." Jacob raised his voice, "Soon as Chrissy gets out of the bedroom!"
"I'm not the one who forgot to set the alarm." Christine came out of their bedroom carrying her boots.
"I'm the one who is not used to getting up at the crack of dawn." Jacob teased and handed her a mug of strong tea. She made a face at him, then kissed his cheek.
"Let me get my boots on, and we can head out." Christine then moved to kiss Brielle's cheek before finding a seat to put her boots on.
"What about Ember? We can't leave her alone." Brielle looked to Jacob, scared for her new friend.
Jacob reached out and ran a hand over Brielle's curls, "Don't worry about Ember. She is coming with me all day."
"She gets to spend the whole day with you?" Brielle pouted, "Why can't I?"
"Because you little miss need to go to school." Christine came around, picked Brielle off her stool, and sat her down. "I've got the kid; if you grab the dog, maybe we can make it to the school on time."
"Come on, Ember, work to do." Jacob picked up Ember's leash and followed his family out the door with a smile.
07:30 Hours- Star Base 71- Star Base School
"And if you will put your thumbprint here," the office secretary presented a pad to Christine, "That will authorize Lt. Commander Holtz to drop off and pick up your daughter from classes." She sniffed and didn't look at Jacob next to Christine.
"Is there a problem?" Christine looked up at the woman over the pad.
Looking around, she leaned forward and whispered to Christine, "Mrs. Daniela Greellen has already filed a report about Brielle's home situation with the counselor."
"Figured as much." Christine sighed and looked at Jacob.
"Helen, question?" Jacob turned on his charming smile.
"Cut it, commander; I know your charms. I've worked with you for two years; what is the question?" Helen smiled but glared at the school's former music teacher.
Christine chuckled at Jacob's blush, "I was going to ask if the school recognized Negotiator Gelva's contracts."
Helen looked a little confused, "He assists with the contracts between the station's merchants and their vendors. We use him for supplies we can't get from a replicator. Why?"
"He handles the Ferengi marriage alliance contracts for the Ferengi citizens on the station as well?"
Helen's eyes narrowed. "He does," Helen growled. "Please tell me you are not thinking of getting one for Brielle."
"We," Jacob gestured between Christine and himself, "would never THINK to do that with that sweet little girl." The couple saw Helen visually relax. "I wanted to ensure that there would be no issue with Christine and I's Betrothal contract."
Helen looked back and forth between them. Then, with her voice still at a whisper, her ire piercing directly through it, "What in heavens name would make you do something so stupid, Christine! Why would you let yourself be tied to some man like that?"
Christine looked to Jacob for support, then responded in kind to Helen, "Because if someone like Mrs. Daniela Greellen," Christine said the name in a hotty-totty tone, "had a problem with Jacob and me being together, the contract says he and I are families."
Helen's jaw dropped, "I can understand that… now." Helen shook herself, "Christine, you don't seem like a person who would submit to another person like that." She took one of Christine's free hands, "Even if the guy is as nice as Jacob," Helen inclined her head toward the smiling officer.
"I have primacy in the contract," Christine said with a shrug. "I can kick him out and call the betrothal off whenever I wish. As far as the legalities go, he is essentially my fiancée." Christine rolled her eyes at Jacob, who only smirked. "Doesn't mean he won't have to propose someday properly." Christine gently elbowed Jacob in the ribs.
"And he better do it right." Helen playfully glared. Then sighed as she submitted the updated paperwork to the central computer. "I've got your marital status set to 'under marriage contract.' I will alert the counselor to the status." Looking around again, Helen whispered, "You may get blowback from this contract thing."
"I'm going to be gossiped about regardless. Might as well make it for something I'm proud of." Christine whispered back, then in a normal voice. "So, are we set? Jacob can pick up Brielle and take her to dance lessons after school?"
"No problem at all. Have a good day to you both." Helen waved at the couple, and they turned and left.
Once they were down the corridor, both started laughing.
"I knew Greellen would be sticking her nose where it didn't belong. She is always trying to dictate policies and procedures at the school." Jacob adjusted Ember's leash so that Christine could slip her arm through his, and he could still walk with his cane.
"She was one of the people who expressed concerns over a single young officer raising a child on her own. Thankfully her tirades fell on deaf ears." Christine sighed.
"Wait until Josh comes into the mix," Jacob commented and kissed her cheek.
"What is your plan for the day?" Christine asked as they walked along.
"Drop you off at sick bay for your shift, then head over to therapy for two hours, then I have a remedial exam until noon. I thought I would swing by and join you for lunch?"
"Might be lunch in the break room depending on caseload," Christine smiled.
"Give Ember a blanket to snooze on and your hand to hold; it will be enough for me." Jacob teased her.
Christine rolled her eyes at him, but her smile widened, "Just be prepared to be ambushed when you arrive." The couple stopped in front of the sick bay's doors.
"Ember is a working dog. I think your co-workers would know better than to pet her when she is on the job." Jacob stopped and kissed Christine.
"Who said it would be Ember they would be fawning over?" Christine smirked as she stepped into sick bay.
"And where have you been?" Dorja met Christine at the nurse's station with a hug.
"There and back again, it feels like." Christine returned her hug and stepped back to see everyone. "I take it you missed me?"
"Could have used you on a couple of cases but nothing terrible." Dorja handed Christine a pad. "You don't start shift for another hour, but here are the current cases and the upcoming appointments."
"Thanks," Christine took the pad and started to walk away but was stopped by someone clearing their throat. "Was there something else?"
Dorja pursed her lips, "Yes, please tell me that is NOT Mr. Frumpy, professor."
"Yes, that is Jacob," Christine smirked, pleased with herself. She leaned on the nurses' station counter. "Why do you ask?"
Another nurse said as they walked by, "Because no man should clean up that good."
"Amazing what happens when you get a man back in uniform." Christine chuckled as she tried to concentrate on the reports.
"Rumor has it that you and he are sharing quarters now." Dorja playfully pried.
Christine didn't look up from her pad, "With Brielle, I needed bigger quarters, and I asked Jacob to join us."
"And why did you do that?" One of the other interns came over to welcome Christine back.
"Medical reasons." Still not looking up, Christine continued to scroll through the pad. "He had reconstructive surgery on his leg while we were on Earth, and I offered to help him while he recuperated."
"Who had she picked up another stray?" Tondeg, a Benzite lab tech, asked when he dropped off some results at the station.
"That was Boji." Dorja sighed as she went back to work. "I guess he wins the pot."
"Were you betting on me?" Christine's job dropped looking at her coworkers.
"I had you would come home engaged." Dorja volunteered. "Ensign Uvamak said you would come home with a 'bun in the oven."
"I now know who I owe a broken nose to," Christine grumbled.
"I take that as you aren't." Dorja laughed.
"That would be a no, a definite NO." Christine switched out pads and continued to glare at her friends.
"You and Lt. Commander Holtz are showing more than average human courting rituals and believe marriage is in your future, but the date has not been determined at the time." A new Vulcan doctor named Nujer commented as they handed a patient's record to Dorja.
"Your hypothesis is nearly correct, Mr. Nujer." Christine nodded to him, then went back to her pad. "Jacob and I have a marriage agreement. When the time is right, we will marry. However, if our relationship has not progressed to marriage in the next six months, we will reevaluate the agreement and take action accordingly." Christine finished the pad, put it back in its slot, and picked up another one. "By all rights, I believe you would have won the bet," Christine smirked at Dorja. "Excuse me; I have studying to do before my shift." She pushed past the gathered people and went to the doctor's lounge.
"Why, that sneaky twit!" Dorja laughed.
"It would please me to share my winnings with you, Nurse Dorja, as technically, Dr. Skyler is engaged to be engaged," Nujer commented as they walked off to see their next patient. Dorja just shook her head and went back to work.
17:12 Hours – Star Base 71- Family Quarters UTC-2053
Christine was a bit disappointed that Jacob and Brielle were not waiting for her when she got off work, but Christine knew it was getting near bedtime for Brielle. Pressing the access panel with her palm, Christine stepped into their new quarters to the smell of herb chicken in the air and the sound of Brielle calling her name.
"I think that means Christine is home," Jacob limped his way towards where Christine stood in front of the closed front door, hugging Brielle tightly.
"I missed you, Chrissy." Brielle moved from holding Christine tightly to guiding her over to a chair to sit.
"How was your first day back at school?" Christine asked as she sat down, and immediately Brielle was in her lap.
"Math was ok. I showed my teachers how I could dance now in my free time. Zedoon was mean, but the teacher put him in the corner. It wasn't nice to tease Mitzy because she spilled her cup of milk." Brielle let out in one big breath.
"Whoa! Sounds like a busy day." Christine smiled and hugged the little girl.
"Why don't you go get in PJs and settle in bed while I talk to Chrissy for a bit," Jacob suggested as he slowly limped over to where the girls were sitting. Then, with a cheer, Brielle ran off towards her room.
Christine started to say something, but Jacob interrupted her, "Breezer and I put your dinner in the replicator to keep it warm until you got home. Depending on your workload, I told her you might not be home in time for stories."
"I appreciate that," Christine glared at him and crossed her arms, "but you need to sit down."
"If I sit down, I might not be able to get back up," Jacob tried to kid, but he knew he would never get it past her. "Fine, I'll sit at the dining table if you will sit with me. I know you have been on your feet all day."
Muttering about stubborn men, Christine helped Jacob to the table, then fetched her dinner. Then, sitting across from him, she began to eat. "What did you want to talk about, other than you looking like you got your ass kicked today?"
"I'm just sore, Love. I've had worse." Jacob reassured her.
"I know that." Christine eyed him over her dinner, "But the traces of a healed bruised eye socket are not supposed to be easy to hide." Christine glared at him, wondering if he would deny it.
"I zigged when I should have zagged and caught another guy's elbow," Jacob said sheepishly. "That happens in training."
"It shouldn't happen in your physical therapy sessions, Jacob." Christine looked down at her meal.
"It wasn't during my therapy session. It was in my afternoon class." Jacob shrugged, "I told you I was taking remedial training classes until I was back on active duty."
"What is happening in those classes?" Christine put her fork down, exasperated.
"You know I can't tell you everything, but I tested my agility and got my ass handed to me for my trouble." Jacob crossed his arms, annoyed.
"Which hurts more, your muscles or your ego?" Christine's mouth twitched.
"That's debatable." Jacob acknowledged, a smile creeping up in the corners of his mouth.
"You know I don't like to see you hurt; besides, you are supposed to be recuperating." Christine reached out and squeezed his hand.
"I'm not the only one." He squeezed back. "Eat some more before Brielle starts calling for stories. I'm surprised she is still awake, considering the speed she has been going all day."
"You know this discussion isn't over," Christine picked up her fork and began to eat again.
"I would be so lucky."
19:04 Hours – Star Base 71- Family Quarters UTC-2053-
"To the left, no further left, then down a bit…." Jacob groans at Christine's machinations, "Now there…." Jacob practically jumped off the bed.
"I told you I could find your sore spots that didn't involve that leg of yours." Christine teased as she massaged his back.
"Funny…" He looked back over his shoulder at her, and cringed as she hit another sore spot.
"I was serious that you need to take it easy." Christine learned over and kissed his neck, before sitting back on the bed herself.
"I have to work hard if I want to get back to active duty." Jacob reminded her as he extracated his leg from it's treatment device. "We talked at lunch, but how did you your afternoon shift go?"
Christine shrugged, "Nothing terrible, honestly. A couple ear aches, and I did a well baby check for a 2 week old." Christien got pleased smile on her face. "The clinic was just back to back patients. You wish you could do more when the little ones are in pain, especially the ear aches."
"You can't save everyone, love." Jacob reassured her as he laid back into the bed's pillows.
"I don't like seeing people in pain, especially the little ones." Christine snuggled down onto his shoulder and chest.
"That is one of the reasons I love you, but is also one of the frustrating things about you." Jacob leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Christine sat up quickly, and turned to face Jacob, "What do you mean by that?"
Jacob propped himself up on his arm, "Christine, you are a kind loving person, who would put herself before others; but you often take on so much of other peoples pain, that you can loose yourself under it all."
"That is my job, Jacob. I'm suppose to help people. It is part of my doctor's oath!"
"Not to the detriment of you becoming a patient yourself." He gently reminded her, "Be honest with yourself, when was the last time you did something for yourself."
"Walking into Bea and Sam's barn and kissing you dizzy comes to mind." Christine smirked.
"True," Jacob conseeded, "and yet you are still having nightmares." Jacob gave her a knowing look.
"Yours are worse," Christine laid back down next to him.
"That's debateable." Jacob chided, "You have been through a lot yourself, Christine. Brielle and I both are talking to someone, I think you need to do that as well."
"I'm fine Jacob," Christine turned away from Jacob.
"If fine means, your mind continues to spin on the what if's to the point you can't fall asleep, and when you finally do, the anxieties play out in terrible dreams that leaves you just as exhausted when you wake up."
Christine didn't respond to his bait.
Jacob laid his hand on her arm, and gently stroked it with his thumb, "Love, you are very strong but even your aunt is seeing the cracks. I don't want you to break with any of your patients. I love you, and I worry about you."
Christine turned back to face him, "You don't need to worry about me."
"I will stop worrying about you when you stop worrying about me." He gave her a cheeky smile.
Christine rolled her eyes, but smiled up at him.
"I have training with my new squad at 05:30 hours, and you know Brielle is going to be up early. With you working late, I know she will want to spend time with you before she goes to class, and you to work."
"Promise me, that you won't push yourself too hard tomorrow." Christine pursed her lips with a sigh.
"I will do my best. Getting my ass handed to me did remind me I have a long way to go." Jacob snuggled down next to her and pulled the covers up over them both."Try to get some sleep love." Christine nodded, and closed her eyes as she let herself relax in his arms.
