We don't want to get our hopes up; we're still cautious, but our excitement is palpable as we strap Saoirse into the car seat and make our way to Ellensburg.
A lot of my patients are from Ellensburg, but I've only been once. It's a small town, like Yakima with a center filled with small boutiques and offices. The town is draped in darkness with only the street lamps providing scant illumination. Since it's not a large town, many shops and offices close early. Moreover, because it's summer, they close even earlier. There's almost no one on the streets this late at night other than couples on dates, or lone wanderers.
The transport station is dead ahead and both of us are getting more and more nervous. "I really hope that this is Wes," Jean Luc mutters. I grab his free hand and squeeze it in reassurance. Me too.
/
"Can I help you, folks?" a short, bald man emerges from the station's office.
"Eh, good evening," Jean Luc readjusts Saoirse in his arms, "we're just waiting for someone. Do you have any incoming transports?"
"Let me check," he waddles back into office, "Ah yes. We have an incoming transport now!" He fiddles purposefully with the control console and a familiar shower of blue light further illuminates the bright room and 2 figures materialize side by side.
Wes! Both of us are by his side at once, tripping up the steps to the platform as we try to contain our excitement and relief.
"Mom, Jean Luc," he grabs us both in a hug.
"Wesley!" I manage as tears come to my eyes. I must be holding him so tightly that I'm preventing chest expansion.
We don't recognize the figure standing next to him, "you must be Sophie who sent us the text," Jean Luc removes on of his hands from Saoirse's back to shake her hand.
"Yes, sir," she nervously responds, "I'm sorry that I had to be so suspicious, but I thought that you would understand. I tried to choose a name as close to Wesley as I could think of in the moment."
"Mom, Jean Luc, I'm sorry about having to make you drive out to Ellensburg. Uh, every communication and transport from Starfleet is being monitored. The campus is practically on lockdown."
"Shhh, kitten," Jean Luc whispers as the baby begins to fuss.
Wes smiles as he moves closer to the baby, "I'll take the fussy baby," he whispers as he lifts her small body into his arms.
"We were really worried about you Wes! We expected you to call or at least answer our texts!" I didn't mean to sound so angry, but I am. Jean Luc and I have been worried about him all week!
"Can we go home and talk about it?"