Stephen sat in the waiting area, waiting to be called into Admiral Hanson's office. He wondered what this was about. His ship was stationed outside Earth, waiting to see what would happen to him. There was a big smile on his captain's face. He knew what this was all about. He also knew that his family was here. His wife and children were staying with his in-laws. Selena's ship was also stationed outside of Earth. He would have met them here, but he didn't know that he was needed here until two days ago and Selena was home until farther notice, her captain was moving to another ship, and they needed a captain.
"Commander Parker, the Admiral will see you," The Ensign said. Stephen nodded and followed her into the room.
There was another man in the room with the Admiral. "Please take a seat, Commander," Admiral Hanson pointing to the empty chair in front of his desk. Stephen took the seat.
"What is this about?" Stephen asked.
The Admiral smiled. "You have a service record that speaks for itself. We think it is time that you were made captain of your own ship."
Stephen couldn't hide his smile. He couldn't wait to tell Selena the good news. This is something he has worked for since he entered Starfleet. "That is great, sir. What ship will I be commanding?" He asked.
"USS Jupiter," The Admiral said.
Stephen frowned. That was the ship that his wife was on. They both had different career paths to follow. They didn't want their professional lives get into the way of private lives. "Sir, that is the ship my wife and sons are on. I don't know if I could do that. I would like to talk to my wife before taking the job."
Both men smiled. "There is more to it," Admiral Hanson said. "Admiral James, tell him."
"The first officer of Jupiter is in the middle of a situation. The last captain of the ship said that she was coming on to him. Now the captain has been a bachelor for his whole life. Commander Elizabeth Raymond said that he was coming on to her. We have been having problems with her since she has been an officer, always coming on to them. She would deny it and we would move one to another ship. We are tired of this, and we needed a man, who is happily married and would never do anything to hurt his marriage."
"Have you tried this with another married man?" Stephen asked.
"Yes, but again it was he said, she said. In one incident the man lost his wife of twenty years. We need both on the ship. Your wife is Chief Medical Officer on the ship, and we need another person there for this to work and you and your wife had worked on a ship together before."
Stephen had to think for a moment. "I will still have to talk to my wife about this."
Both men smiled. "We understand. Please give us an answer by the end of the week." Stephen nodded and stood. He nodded to both men before leaving.
Stephen walked up the path to his in-laws' house. He took a breath as he knocked on the door. He could hear his youngest son, Saxon running to the door. Stephen smiled because he could hear his wife and mother-in-law yelling at him to not run in the house. The door opened and his son stood in the doorway.
A big smile appeared on Saxon's face. "Dad," Saxon jumped in his arms.
"Hey buddy," Stephen hugged his son to him.
He looked up and saw his wife and their oldest son standing there. Stephen put his son down and went to hug the rest of his family. Selena pulled out of his arms, smiling. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?"
"I can't come and see my wife and sons," Stephen smiled at her. Selena rolled her eyes at him. "I need to talk to about something." Selena nodded.
"Hey, boys," Stephen smiled at his sons. "I need to talk to your mom for second and then I'm all yours." The boys smiled and ran out of the room. Stephen looked around the room to make sure there was no one else around. He leaned down and kissed her. He had missed her.
"What is going on?" Selena broke the kiss.
"You know how you need a captain for your ship, well here I am," Stephen smiled.
Selena took a breath before entering her mother's office. She didn't know what her mother did since she retired from teaching. Selena knew that her mother was a guest lecturer at the academy sometimes. B'Elanna looked up at who entered her office and smiled when she saw it was her younger daughter.
"I didn't know you and the boys were back," She set her stuff aside.
Selena smiled. "We got back an hour ago," B'Elanna could tell that there was something else on Selena's mind.
"Stephen is here," Selena said like it was a bad thing.
"He is your husband and the father of your children. I think it would be good to see him," B'Elanna raised one eyebrow.
"It is. I missed him and I know the boys missed him too," Selena thought about sitting in the chair in front of the desk but started to pace again.
"So, what is wrong?" B'Elanna asked. She knew that Selena and Stephen barely see each other with both on different ships.
Selena sighed. "You know how my ship needs a new captain," B'Elanna nodded. It was why Selena, and her boys were staying with Tom and her. "They decided that Stephen will be the new captain."
"What is the problem?" B'Elanna asked. She thought that it might be something that Selena would like, to see her husband every day, not every other month.
"He is going to be my commanding officer and my husband. How is that going to work?" Selena asked.
"I think that is something you are going to have to talk to Stephen about. The boys might like it," B'Elanna said. "Didn't you live and work together when you were dating?" She knew the answer, but she needed Selena to remember that they made it work once, they could do it again.
"Yes, but that was different. I had my own space if I needed it." Selena stopped pacing and thought about her past with her husband.
B'Elanna raised an eyebrow. "How often were you at his quarters?" Selena gave a small smile. "Most of the time," Selena nodded. B'Elanna knew what it was like to live on the same ship. Tom had a uniform in her closet, and she had one in his closet. "I think that you two can do it. You must remember when to be his wife and when to be his Chief Medical Officer. Have you talked to Stephen about this?"
"No, I sort of left him in the living room," Selena gave a small smile. B'Elanna shook her head. Her daughter was a grown woman and mother and wife. B'Elanna sighed. "Go and talk to your husband because this is a great opportunity for him."
"I know and I don't want to stand in the way of it," Selena started to pace again.
"You just never thought that this would happen," B'Elanna knew she hit it right on the mark when she saw her daughter's eyes. Selena nodded. "Go and talk to your husband," B'Elanna waved towards the door. Selena smiled as she walked out of the office.
Selena found her husband in the backyard, watching the boys play. She took a seat next to him. "I'm sorry for walking away earlier," She said.
Stephen turned to look at her with his dark blue eyes. Selena always loved that about him. "I should have said something different than what I said. They want me to captain of your ship because of your first officer."
"Commander Raymond," Selena frowned. Stephen nodded. "What about her?" Stephen explained to Selena what he was told. "I knew something was going on, with us going to through captains like candy. Why you?"
Stephen leaned closer. "Because everyone knows that I am madly in love with my wife and I will do nothing to hurt her," He traced a finger along her jaw. "And I have a feeling that you wouldn't like to share me," He pressed his lips to her.
"You are right about that. I haven't shared you since we started dating." Selena smiled into the kiss. She broke the kiss. "How are we going to do this?"
Stephen sighed and leaned back in his chair. "We will be sharing quarters, so in our quarters we are Selena Paris and Stephen Parker, husband and wife, mother and father to those two boys," They both looked to see where their boys were playing. "Outside our quarters you are Doctor Paris, and I am Captain Parker. If those lines are close to crossing, we'll talk about it. I hope you will give me the answers I need as a doctor in front of others and when we are alone you can let me have it," Stephen laughed.
Selena smiled. "I think we can do it."
"Do you think that your parents could watch the boys and we could go and out celebrate?" Stephen got a look in his eyes that Selena knew very well.
"I think they can," Selena kissed him.
Stephen woke to the back of his wife. He knew that he was her captain, he loved waking up with her next to him. He had an early meeting with his first officer. This was the first meeting he was going to have with her. After the meeting with his first officer, he had a meeting with his senior officers. His wife was his Chief Medical Officer.
"Stop thinking so much," Selena mumbled in her pillow.
"I have a lot on my mind," Stephen leaned over his wife. "I really want stay in bed with you," He ran a hand along her back.
"Then you will be late with your meeting with Command Raymond," Selena turned around in bed.
"I know," He kissed the top of her head. "I like waking up with you next to me."
"I do, too, but you are captain now. You must set a good example. Also, our boys will be up soon," She kicked him out of bed.
Stephen took a breath and left the bed. He went to shower and dress. He smacked Selena's ass. "I'll see you later."
"Yes, Captain," Selena smiled.
Stephen sat behind his desk and thought this was his. He wanted to place a picture of his family on his desk, but he wanted this first meeting to take place. He didn't want her to get any ideas about him until he was ready. The chime went off. "Enter," He said in an authorized voice.
A woman about thirty years old entered the ready room. He didn't know how she became commander at such a young age. She must of done with the he said/she said routine, ruining careers and marriages along the way. She had flaming red hair and dark brown eyes. He could see why people would find her attractive. She gave him a smile that had too many meanings.
"Please take a seat," He waved a hand to the seat in front of the desk. She took a seat and crossed her legs.
They talked about what he wanted and how to go about it. She was smart, he could see that he would have to be smarter than her.
They entered the conference room to find all the senior officers already there. He saw that Selena was sitting away from the captain chair. He wanted to touch her hand, but they made the choice to keep their professional lives and personal lives separate. Stephen took a seat in the captain's chair. He looked around the table to his staff. He gave them his most winning smile; out of the corner of his eyes he saw Selena roll her eyes. "I am Captain Stephen Parker and I want us to work together to get our missions done. Please introduce yourself," Stephen asked. He gave a half smile. "As I don't know you."
Everyone around the room smiled. The big black human spoke in a deep clear voice, "I'm Lt. Demarcus Jordan, Senior tactical/ security officer," Stephen nodded. He had met the man before; he has been a friend of Selena's since they became senior officers together on the ship.
The human person next to him gave him a smile that Stephen knew from when he was that age. They kept their hair short, but their eyes were a bright blue. "I'm Lt. Camron Mallory, Chief Helmsperson." Stephen nodded.
The Vulcan on the other side spoke up. "I'm Lt. Kon, I'm your Chief Engineer." The Vulcan didn't say anything else. Stephen looked at the man. He had dark hair and light eyes. Stephen could see the Vulcan logic in his eyes. He was going to be very good at what he did.
The Trill woman next to him had dark brown hair and somehow hazel eyes. "I'm Lt. Duzri Grilan, I'm your Chief Operation Officer." Stephen nodded. He had to know more about her.
Selena was the last to speak. "I'm Dr. Selena Paris, your Chief Medical Officer," Stephen saw Lt. Jordan look between them. It seemed like he was the only one that knew that Selena and Stephen were married. Stephen knew that he was going to have to talk to him before he could say something to the wrong person.
"Thank you, tomorrow we will leave and go to…" Stephen outlined the mission that would start tomorrow. "Thank you for meeting with me," Stephen stood, and everyone stood, heading for the doors. "Lt. Jordan, a word with you in my ready room," Lt. Jordan nodded and followed Stephen to his ready room. Stephen waited until the doors were closed before speaking. "You are the only one who knows that Dr. Paris are I are married. They all know that she is married, and they will know by now that I am married."
"They are going to find out soon, when you are going to the same quarters and when they see those boys of yours." Lt. Jordan said.
"I know, but here's the thing…" Stephen trusted the man with what they were doing.
"Finally," Lt. Jordan sighed. "She would have come on to me if she didn't know that I was gay." Stephen let out a sigh. "You will have no trouble with anyone else of the senior staff. They don't think that she is a good fit for this ship." Stephen nodded Lt. Jordan nodded his head before leaving Stephen's ready room.
Stephen sighed as he sat on the couch, he was glad the day was over. He had dinner with his family, it was something he looked forward to in the future. The boys were settling down for the night in their room. Selena had to check in on sickbay before staying in for the night. He had to think of a plan to get Commander Elizabeth Raymond out of his ship because this ship was starting to feel like home.
The door opened and Selena entered their quarters. Stephen smiled at her, and her face brightened as she saw him. She made her way over to him. She leaned down to kiss him when he pulled her on his lap. He took her lips. "I could get use to this." He mumbled against her lips. Selena let out a little laugh.
Stephen liked just holding his wife and kissing her. "Gross," Stephen broke the kiss to see Saxon standing there. He was in his pajamas. Selena was laughing. She buried her face in chest. He could see that she was going to have him deal with their son.
"Is there something you need, Saxon?" Stephen asked. He felt Selena move in his lap and he had to hold back a moan.
"No," The eight-year-old boy shook his head. "I just want to say goodnight to Mom," Saxon looked at his mother with big eyes.
"Ok," Selena got up and Stephen had to make sure that his son didn't see what was going on with him. Stephen watched Selena hug their son and lead him back to his bedroom. She stopped at the door of the room. "Sam, turn off your PADD and go to bed. We have an early day tomorrow," Stephen heard a moan. Selena stood there for a moment before turning off the boys' light and closing their door.
Selena turned to see her husband in discomfort. "I think it's time that we retire," She held out her hand for him. Stephen didn't have to be asked twice.
"How are we going to get this woman out of our hairs?" Stephen asked after a bout of loving making.
"I think that we are going to have to show her that we are family," Selena turned to face her husband. She placed her head on his chest. "It would mean dinner in the mess hall and having the boys around you."
Stephen agreed with her. "I do want to spend time with the boys outside of our quarters. I don't want to hide our relationship. We both know when to be professional and when not to be. You know how hard it was not to run my hand over your neck at the meeting."
"I do, I could feel the heat your eyes were giving off," Selena smiled. She leaned up and kissed him. "I love you and nothing can break this."
"I know, you just walk in a room and I'm hard," Stephen said.
"You are going to have to learn how to control that," Selena kissed the side of his neck.
Stephen flipped her on her back. "I think I found a way," He said as he entered her.
Sam and Saxon ran away from the scene of the crime. It had been a few days on the ship and they had just finished school when they found trouble. Someone left their tools on the ground and Sam and Saxon had a little fun with the person. They waited until the person returned before running away to see how they would react to it. They hid their laughs until they were around the corner.
"Caught you," The boys widen and turned to see Lt. Jordan holding their arms. "Which parent to bring you, too." Boys gave panic looks to each other.
"Dad," They said together. They knew Mom was going to ground them for the next few weeks if she found out.
Lt. Jordan nodded and stirred the boys to the turbolifts. They went to the first deck. The boys took a breath before they were led to their dad's ready room. They let out a sigh when they saw that their dad wasn't there.
"Wait here," Lt, Jordan said. He went to the door that led to the bridge.
Lt. Jordan made his way to Captain Parker. "You have two troublemakers in your ready room," He whispered to Stephen.
Stephen looked towards his ready room; he knew right away who was in his ready room. He turned to Commander Raymond "Take the bridge," He turned to Lt. Jordan. "Thank you," Stephen touched his com badge. "Dr. Paris to my ready room," Stephen walked into his ready room.
Commander Raymond turned to Lt. Jordan. "What is going on?"
"A personal problem," Demarcus said. He didn't want to give away the secret that his friends had.
"He needs the doctor to help," She was getting suspicious.
"Yes," Demarcus said. She faced forward from her chair and went back to the PADD in her hand.
"Klingon vessel coming on the port side," Lt. Jordan said.
The Klingon ship appeared on the screen. "They're hailing us," Lt. Grilan said.
Stephen saw the ship and raised an eyebrow. "Open a channel," Lt. Grilan nodded.
A Klingon face appeared on the screen. Stephen smiled right away. "D'stil, what are you doing on this side of the quadrant?"
A smile appeared on the Klingon's face. "Klingon business," Stephen knew that was all he was getting from the man.
"Captain, do you know this man?" Lt. Mallory asked.
"Yes, this my brother-in-law, D'stil," Stephen turned from his helmsperson to D'stil. "Is the family with you?"
"Yes, Miral can't wait to see her sister," D'stil said.
"Let's surprise her. Beam aboard when you are ready," Stephen smiled at the man before the channel closed.
"Take the bridge," Stephen smiled at Commander Raymond. "I'm going to greet my brother-in-law and his family." Raymond nodded. The bridge watched him go.
"Who is his wife?" Lt, Mallory asked the room. There was only one person in the room who knew, and he wasn't going to tell them.
Stephen waited in the transporter room as his wife's family beamed over. He greeted the family with hugs. "Come sickbay is this way," Stephen led them out of the room.
Miral touched his arm when they reached sickbay. "Let me," Stephen nodded and took a step back.
Miral entered the room. "Excuse me, Dr. Paris I seem to have to problem."
Selena had her back turned towards the door. She knew that voice and smiled as she turned around. "Miral," She hugged her sister. "What are you doing here?"
"Klingon business," Miral said.
"Where is D'stil?" Selena asked. She looked around for her brother-in-law.
"He's outside with your husband," Miral pointed to the door.
Selena nodded and lanced her arm through Miral's. They left the sickbay to see Stephen and D'stil there with Miral's four children. Selena hugged her family. She turned to Stephen. "We'll have dinner with them," Stephen nodded.
"The only place that can hold us is the mess hall," Stephen said. Selena knew where it was coming from.
"I think it is time for everyone to know. We can't keep it a secret from forever. I don't know how long Demarcus can keep it in," Selena smiled. She loved her friend, but he couldn't keep a secret for long.
Stephen smiled. "I think you are right. Should I get the boys out of school so they can see their aunt, uncle, and cousins," Selena nodded.
Commander Elizabeth Raymond entered the mess hall to find a table filled with Captain Parker's family. He was sitting at the head, holding the hand of his wife. Elizabeth eyes went from his hand to the hand he was holding to the face of the woman who was his wife. Elizabeth let out a sigh when she saw it was Dr. Paris. She knew that she was married, but she didn't think that she would be married to the captain. She knew that the captain was married because of his wedding ring. She saw the couple across from Dr. Paris and could tell that it was Dr. Paris' sister. The man next to her was her husband and captain of the Klingon ship.
There were six others sitting at the table. Four of them looked more like Klingon than the other two. They were also older than the other two. The two oldest looked almost twenty and the only girls were in their teens. Elizabeth knew the two youngest as Dr. Paris' sons. They had ridges, but they were very faint. She didn't notice before, but the boys had their dad's hair color and the oldest had his eyes.
That table was the loudest in the room. Elizabeth looked around the room to see how people were taking all the noise. It seemed like it didn't bother them. Some of the ensign women were whispering behind their hands about them. Elizabeth let out a growl.
"They make a quite a couple," Elizabeth turned to see Lt. Jordan standing behind her.
"How did you know that they were married?" She hissed at him.
"I'm a friend of Selena's and I have seen them together," Demarcus said. He wondered what she was going to do to try to break up this marriage. Demarcus knew that Selena and Stephen had only for each other. Everyone who watched them in the same room could tell how much they loved each other.
"How could Starfleet allow them to work together?" Elizabeth gave murderess eyes towards the happy couple.
"They worked together before they were married and from what I heard they keep their professional lives, and their private lives separate. They are doing it now," Demarcus saw the look in her eyes. He knew she was up to something. "Don't do anything you are going to regret, they are powerful together," Demarcus knew that his words fell on silence. He made his way around and made his way over to where the family was sitting.
Elizabeth watched the captain and doctor for two weeks. When no one was looking they were a couple. She watched as he would ask Dr. Paris for a medical opinion. He would listen to her like any of his senior staff. The only time when they would break was when their boys were around. He became a father, and she became a mother. Those boys were everything to them. She had seen the boys run around the ship for years. She had voiced her concerns to previous captains, but they all said that they were kids. The first opportunity she had was to send those boys to boarding school. Captain Parker was the only captain she could see herself with. He was young and still handsome after all those years. The white that was gracing his temples only made him more handsome. All she had to do was get the wife and family out of the way.
She came up with a plan and hoped that it would work. She left her com badge in her quarters before following the boys back to their quarters after school. Both of their parents made school important and they both knew to do their homework before doing anything else. The boys didn't notice that she was following them because they were fighting about something.
When they got to their family's quarters, the older boy pressed in a code and the boys entered. She took out her phaser and followed the boys in. They didn't notice her at first as they ordered drinks and snacks from the replicator. The young boy yelled when he saw her holding a phaser in her hand. He had dropped his drink on the ground.
"Look at what you did, Saxon," The older yelled. He saw the stain on the floor. "Mom is going to kill you."
"Not if she kills me first," Saxon choked out. Sam looked from the stain to Elizabeth.
"Commander Raymond is there something you need. Dad is on the bridge and Mom is in Sickbay," Sam pulled Saxon closer to him.
"What I need is for you to sit on the couch," She waved the phaser towards the couch. Sam took a breath he could feel his brother shaking next to him. Sam pulled them to the couch and pushed his brother down to sit. "I need you and your brother out of the way so I can get your father."
"You can't have our dad. He's in love with Mom," Saxon yelled. Tears were running down his face. He wanted his dad and mom right now.
Elizabeth let out a laugh. "I will get your mother out of the way too."
Sam placed a hand over his brother's mouth. "Shut up," He whispered in his ear.
"Call your mother here," Commander Raymond said. "Make it sound like is she needed right way.
Sam nodded. He pressed the com button. "Mom, can you come to our quarters. Saxon fell and is bleeding all over the place," Sam knew that it would get his doctor mother to them. He had a note panic in voice.
"Sam. I be right there. Can you place some pressure on the cut?" Dr. Paris asked.
Elizabeth nodded for him to respond. "Yes, mom."
Selena was trying to figure out what was going on. Sam never called her. If one of them had a cut or a bump they would make their way to sickbay. Selena hoped that it was nothing serious. She was ready to transport there, but she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. She debated about calling Stephen, but he had more concerns than a that their son had. She took a breath this was her baby that needed her to be calm so she could heal any wounds he had.
Selena entered their quarters to find Commander Raymond between both of her sons. Selena could tell how scared the boys were. There was a phaser pointed towards Saxon's head. Tears were coming out of both of their eyes. Sam would admit that he was crying but she could see the tears in his eyes. Selena's heart was breaking. These were her babies and she wanted to protect them, but Commander Raymond had the only weapon in the room.
"Dr. Paris," Commander Raymond said. "I always wonder why any man would marry you and then I saw your children. He must be very good looking. I never thought that Captain Parker was your husband. What did you do to get him?"
"Mommy," Saxon said. Selena closed her eyes. Her baby's cries broke her heart. He hadn't called her that since he was five and Sam told him that he was baby when he called her that.
"Shh," She said to Saxon before turning to Commander Raymond. "Stephen and I fell in love like any other person in universe." Selena thought it best to tell the truth.
Commander Raymond nodded. "I always wondered why you kept your maiden's name."
"We both wanted a career in Starfleet and thought it best." Selena kept telling her the truth.
"Then you had these two handsome boys," Commander Raymond ran a hand over Saxon's head.
Selena didn't like the woman touching her son. "Please don't touch my son," She said to the woman.
Elizabeth pointed the phaser at Selena. "You are in no place to give demands," When Selena didn't say a word. Elizabeth smiled. "I want you to call your husband."
Selena touched her com badge. "Sweetheart, can come to our quarters,"
Stephen passed a look from his security officer. "Something is not right," He said to the man.
"How can you tell?" Demarcus asked as he grabbed a phaser.
Stephen headed for the lifts. "Selena never calls me sweetheart and never over the coms. She doesn't know who me is around."
Stephen entered the lifts with Lts. Jordan, Mallory, and Grilan. Demarcus passed out phasers to the others and called a couple of security teams to meet them at the captain's quarters. Stephen stopped in front of the captain's quarters doors. He had people on either side of the door before opening the doors.
Stephen saw that his sons were sitting on the couch and a phaser pointed at his wife. "Now I have the whole family here. You do make a cute little family. Handsome father, beautiful smart mother, and two good looking boys. When I first saw Captain Parker, I thought that he was a handsome man and that he would make a good husband and then I found out that he was married. I never thought that such a good-looking man would be married. I wondered who he married then I found out that it was Dr. Paris here. See I have to get Dr. Paris and these boys out of the way of what I wanted."
"Why do you think I would marry you after you got rid of my family?" Stephen asked.
"Because you are going to divorce your wife and never see your boys again," Elizabeth smiled because her plan sounded like a good plan. She had a feeling that Stephen would want to save his family anyway he could.
"Why would I divorce the woman I loved and the mother of my children?" Stephen asked. "Just to marry you."
"Because," Elizabeth pointed the phaser at Selena. "I could kill her."
Before Elizabeth could shoot. The doors opened and Lt. Jordan came in with the others. They got the phaser away from Elizabeth.
"Take her to the barge. I will deal with her later," Stephen used his captain voice. The others nodded.
The boys had already run for their mother and Stephen took a breath before gathering his family to him. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," He said to Selena and the boys.
"Its alright. It is over," Selena looked in her husband's eyes. "I just hope that you keep bring my captain and husband."
"I do too." Stephen smiled.
"Can you continue to be our dad?" Saxon asked.
Selena and Stephen laughed. "Always."