Check In and a Chat

Posted on Fri Mar 29th, 2019 @ 1:23pm by Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,589 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: USS Pegasus, Ariana’s Quarters
Timeline: Day 6 0800 hrs

Ariana hadn’t had a brilliant night’s sleep. Between trying to find a comfortable way to lie in bed and missing not having Marcus to cuddle up to, since they’d decided to call their romantic relationship a day and simply be friends, she was feeling tired and lonely. It was taking the remnants of the Rigellian Fever time to go as well which wasn’t helping. She was lying on the sofa relaxing with a blanket over her legs when the door chime rang, instead of getting up she simply called her visitor to enter.

“Sorry to intrude,” Doctor Corrigan apologised as she entered, “I can come back if it isn’t a good time...”

“Doctor Corrigan, it’s not a bad time at all please sit down and make yourself at home.” Ariana sat up on the sofa and motioned for Carolyn to sit. “Can I get you anything to drink or eat?”

“No, no, please, rest up,” Carolyn said, quickly waving away the idea as she set her kit down on the floor. “You’ve been through enough. I Just wanted to make sure you were doing okay.”

“I didn’t have that good a night last night, more my being uncomfortable than anything else. Plus the left over remains of the Fever as well, like all illnesses it always seems worse at night!” She offered a smile. “I’m also...missing all the extra voices I used to have in my mind, it sounds strange but being born with my abilities left me with a constant background hum of voices I couldn’t turn off. Now those voices are a lot quieter, I can actually ‘hear myself think’ as the saying goes and I’m not used to it. Doctor Hades has already said that my full abilities may or may not return so I guess I just have to learn to adjust.”

Carolyn offered her a reassuring smile as she retrieved a tricorder. “Try not to worry too much yet, when the Fever has completely cleared you may find your abilities return and you’ll miss the relative quiet. I’ll run some quick scans to check on you and the baby and get out of your hair.”

"You're not in my hair so I wouldn't worry about that!" Ariana grinned. "There's one thing that I'm concerned about, before I had the Fever I was sensing the baby on a 'two way' kind of basis" She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe the baby was developing the same fault with abilities as I did and was going to be born with abilities already functioning, but now I'm only sensing a 'one way' connection. I'm just not sure exactly what that means."

Kneeling on the floor, opening up the tricorder, Carolyn listened to her concerns with a small frown. "Typically Betazoid telephathic abilities develop in adolescence. It must have been hard."

"It was extremely hard" Ariana nodded. " The noise of other people's thoughts and feelings is deafening when you're a child. I was one of the lucky ones."

"And until now, you suspected the same would be true for the baby?" she asked. "From the few studies I had read, there was not indication of a genetic predisposition but I confess it isn't my particular area of expertise."

"I might be wrong, it may just be the kind of bond mother's have with their baby's I don't know for sure."

"There is again the possibility that this change is just the last remnants of the Fever," she suggested as she began her scans, sure that Dr Hades would have handled this conversation much better. "We are too early to be able to assess neurological development or function. But your baby has ten fingers, ten toes and from what I can see, is healthy."

She initiated the second series of scans, these ones focused on Ariana. While she studied the readings she added, "but pregnancy is worrying enough so what I will do is put in place some additional appointments so we can make sure both of you stay healthy. Something we can do better on the station than on Cardassia."

Ariana smiled and nodded. "Thank you for putting my mind at rest. I'm probably worrying about nothing! After recent events it's all been a whirlwind and I haven't really had chance to settle yet. I plan on enjoying my reduced schedule while I have the chance." She smiled warmly.

"Day one of medical school you are taught to never discount a mother's intuition," Carolyn assured her. "And it is only natural to worry. Just be sure to take advantage of the reduced workload. You are responding really well to the medication, a huge improvement on your vitals. Another twelve hours or so and you will feel like you again. Baby bump and all."

“That would be...lovely!” Ariana grinned a wry grin. “Complete with swollen ankles, feeling tired, never being comfortable, should I go on?” She grinned again. “Honestly I’m enjoying it! It’s all part of the experience of the journey to parenthood.”

"Well, enjoy every second," Carolyn told her, beginning to pack away the tricorder and digging out the padd to make her notes. She took a second or two more than she needed to find it and book in the additional appointments, trying to shake why she was feeling uncomfortable. "Okay, your additional appointments are booked in and will be in your calendar. Any that don't suit, just let me know and we can rearrange. I'd still like to check in with you tomorrow."

“That’s fine” Ariana looked at Carolyn curiously. “Are you alright? You don’t feel comfortable that much I can sense. Is there anything I can help you with?”

"Just tired, I suppose," Carolyn said dismissively, trying not to be irritated at the idea of her patient picking up on how she was feeling. "Nothing a few weeks on a sunny beach wouldn't cure."

“Now that I could live with!!” Ariana nodded enthusiastically. “Are you sure there’s nothing bothering you? I’m only too happy to listen if there is.” Ariana looked at Carolyn understandingly.

"Not how the doctor patient thing should work," Carolyn reminded her with a grin. "Besides, there isn't enough hours in the day for someone to fix my head, even on a good day."

“Why don’t you try me?” Ariana smiled warmly. “It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me.”

That would be the very opposite of resting, Carolyn thought to herself with a sigh. Here she was, pregnant and sick and still wouldn't stop. And Hades thought she was stubborn?

"You don't owe me anything. It is what we do," the doctor pointed out. Or try to...

She thought of Ensign Hayman, her one very resounding failure during that outbreak even as she said the words. She closed her eyes, pushing the image of him away. Dwelling on his death would help nobody. Even if she did fear the next loss would be even closer to home...

And she knew these thoughts would only lead to darker places, dredge up memories even her worst nightmares couldn't compare with. Though they gave it a good shot.

"Okay, I should get going," she breathed, opening her eyes and almost jumping back when she found Ariana sitting on the floor beside her.

“Yes I’m stubborn, awkward and I can be a real pain in the ass!” Ariana smiled. “No I didn’t read your mind, I didn’t need to. I can feel the pain you’re trying to hide Carolyn, don’t bury it, trust me it’ll get you nowhere! When I lost my husband I just wanted to bury the pain and try to act like everything was okay.” She wiped her eyes as a few emotional tears were shed. “I’ve been doing the same since I lost my baby’s twin, I have to face my own pain and you need to face yours.”

"I'm sorry about what happened to your family," Carolyn said quietly. She opened her mouth to say something more but stopped herself. She couldn't compare her life to hers. How could she? She had not lost a husband, a child. That was a special kind of personal hell.

“Thank you” Ariana offered a faint smile. “I’m not the kind of Counsellor who pesters people into talking. If you want to talk I’ll listen, if not that’s okay too.”

"Talking is... " Carolyn stopped herself again, shaking her head. "Not something I do. Honestly, if you have time on your hands, read my file. It'll kill about ten minutes for six months worth of effort. If you haven't already that is. "

"To be honest I haven't as yet so I will do that. Just promise me if you ever do feel like talking you'll come and see me." Ariana smiled and moved to go sit back on the sofa again.

With personal space restored, Carolyn relaxed somewhat. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks," she said as she stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She hoped it wasn't too obvious that it would never happen. She didn't want to be rude and she seemed like someone who could one day maybe be a friend.

"Talking is not going to get everyone seen to. Make sure you rest up," Carolyn ordered as she headed for the door.

“I will” Aeryn smiled. “Thank you Carolyn.”

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