Talking is good

Posted on Fri May 8th, 2020 @ 7:49am by Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Ensign Aria Davis

1,715 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: USS Mercy
Timeline: MD3 1400 hours

Boarding the Mercy, offering a cheerful hello to the Ensign on duty, Ensign Davis set off in the direction of sickbay. It had been a last minute decision to see if any of the counselling staff were free. A something to pass the time and tick off her to do list.

Absolute nothing to do with the nightmare she had after falling asleep on the holodeck yesterday, she lied to herself as she summoned the turbolift. While she was waiting she bounced on her toes, a bundle of nervous energy. It had been so vivid... no. Not thinking about it, she told herself as the doors opened.

“Counsellor Monroe!” She said with a bright smile when she found the lift occupied. Stepping inside and ordering the lift to sickbay she smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, Lt. Commander Monroe. Are you well?”

“I’m okay, thank you” Ariana stifled a yawn. “Sorry! Lousy nights sleep.” She grinned. “How are you Ensign?”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s been crazy times,” the Ensign replies with a good natured smile. “I’m okay. The Pegasus sickbay is pretty quiet most of the time. I actually realised earlier today that I never got in touch with Lieutenant Rol to arrange a review. I think I’m probably the last one left. I was hoping someone might be free so I could get it done before I go on duty tonight. Long shot, I know.”

“I can do your review for you if you like?” Ariana smiled warmly. “I don’t have any appointments for another hour or so.”

“Are you sure? You look a little tired... I can wait.”

“It’s fine.” Ariana smiled warmly. “Tired comes with the territory when you’re pregnant. I can still do your review, let’s head to my office.”

“Sounds good,” Aria enthused. “And thank you.”

~ Counsellor’s Office ~

As they arrived at her office Ariana stepped inside. “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”

“Erm... orange juice please,” Aria replied as she looked around the office. While smaller than those aboard SB400, it was still spacious enough.

“I’ll make that two” Ariana smiled and walked over to the replicator. Ordering two glasses of orange juice she picked them up and walked back to Aria. “One orange juice. So how are you settling in? I know it’s strange not being on the Starbase but we’re all feeling that.”

“I’d only been aboard a few weeks so I was still finding my feet - and getting lost a lot,” Aria confesses as she took a drink. “I was assigned to Sickbay aboard the Pegasus with Dr Reid. She’s my mentor which was a relief! I mean, Dr Mendez is okay he just isn’t a very patient person and he likes quiet. Which I generally don’t. But overall I think I’m doing okay. I mean, we aren’t in the middle of battles right now so that’s nice.”

“That’s true” Ariana nodded in agreement. “I didn’t think I’d seen you aboard the Mercy with the rest of the medical contingent. I’m glad you’re happy with being with Dr Reid.”

“She’s nice and patient. I do want to go into surgical at some point but I figure find my feet, get over my nerves and then start to think about specialities.”

“That’s a good idea” Ariana nodded in agreement. “You can’t have a surgeon with shaky hands! Besides nerves are perfectly normal especially when you’re new to somewhere. I think you should be proud how well you’ve fitted in.”

“Thanks,” she grinned, accepting the compliment. “Although I still shouldn’t have told you about Doctor Corrigan... I was not in Mendez’s good books for a long while!”

“It was a mistake, lesson learned. I won’t put you in an awkward position ever again I promise you that.” Ariana offered Aria an apologetic smile.

“You didn’t, it was me and my big mouth,” she assured her. “I still tend to just speak my mind.”

“Well in some ways that’s pretty good” Ariana smiled warmly as she relaxed back in her seat. “You’ll learn when to hold what’s on your mind, and when not to.”

“I sure hope so!” Aria smiled, “or else I’ll be demoted to janitor!”

She sighed, becoming more somber. “Doctor Reid encouraged all of us to come to these reviews. She worries about us all, like a mother hen sometimes... I wasn’t too concerned but I’ve had some nightmares about the battle and I still throw up at least once before every shift. I mean, even as a cadet it was embarrassing... now it is downright humiliating!”

“Nightmares are perfectly normal, that we can sort together.” Ariana reached for a PADD from her pile of PADDs on the desk. “Have a read through the piece on here about directed dreaming, it might help you with controlling your nightmares.” She smiled. “As for your sickness, we need to sort out the root cause of your fear. If I can help you settle that then your bouts of sickness should dissipate.”

“Well, I guess my fear is messing up,” she confided. “Because messing up is often the difference between life an death. The wrong call, a hesitation...”

Ariana nodded. “I understand, making life and death decisions is a hard thing to do and the loss of a patient is a frightening and terrible thing. You need to have faith in yourself Aria, it’s the only thing holding you back from being the brilliant doctor you are.

“I’m average, not great. Yet,” Aria corrected her.

“You’ll learn” Ariana smiled. “That’s why you have help, if you need it don’t be afraid to ask for it. We medical professionals back each other up.”

Aria nodded. “I know. And I’ll read the info. The nightmares aren’t constant but I hate not being able to get a good sleep. I get so grouchy.”

“Don’t we all” Ariana laughed. “Trust me I’m the same!”

“You hide it well!” Aria enthused.

“I’m used to it” Ariana stifled a yawn. “I have a baby daughter and luckily a wonderful man who loves doting on his daughter so much that I get a lie in!”

“That’s so sweet,” Aria smiled.

“Cameron is a doting father” Ariana smiled warmly. “He’s thrilled about us expecting again too.”

“You’ll have your hands full!” The younger woman observed. “Good thing you can hide the lack of sleep!”

“Well we’ll see how that goes once I’ve got two children to look after” Ariana grinned.

“True... so any suggestions to stop me throwing up? I like food too much for it to go to waste,” Aria lamented.

“Well as your sickness is linked to your nerves, if we can help you with your confidence and nerves then hopefully it’ll take care of your sickness.”

“Maybe I could get someone to sew my mouth shut, it runs away with me. Like Ensign Sato. He wasn’t impressed at all when I said his infected toenail couldn’t hurt that badly.... or when I did a handover on a patient and she heard the words ‘clinical obese’. I mean she was but still... I just can’t help it! It keeps happening.”

Ariana nodded. “That’s just nerves, when you feel them coming on just take a deep breath and let the feeling pass. I know it’s easier said than done.”

“Maybe I’m more suited to pathology. I can’t offend a patient then, can I?” She sighed and visibly cringes. “It also kind of gets worse...”

“Oh? And how does it get worse?” Ariana looked at Aria curiously.

“The spending the night with Dr Mendez kind of worse,” she blurted out, wanting to crawl under a table and die.

“Well...I wasn’t expecting that one!” Ariana smiled. “I’m not going to ask for details.”

She looked hugely relieved. “Thanks! It was heat of the moment, may never happen again, kind of thing,” she said with a determined nod. “I mean, why? He has to have slept with just about every girl with a pulse in that department! I can’t believe I- anyway. Can’t change the past!”

“No you can’t” Ariana smiled. “You can only learn from your mistakes and move on. Just be sure of your feelings before you do though.”

"Oh, I'm sure," Aria said firmly. "Can you forget I told you? I hate myself for giving in to a moment of weakness. Actually, two."

Ariana grinned. “It’s forgotten I promise! I’ll admit relationships aren’t the easiest things even with ex’s.”

"I'd love it if someone just say'd here, we've ran the numbers, looked at your likes and dislike and here is this adonis of a guy just perfect for you. Happy life together!" She sighed, "but nope."

“It’s rarely that easy!” Ariana grinned. “I’m glad to say I have a man I love very much.” She thought about Kaden and how awkward things were between him and her right now. She just hoped it all passed over soon.

"Well, it's a big galaxy," Aria told herself.

“Indeed it is” Ariana smiled warmly. “Don’t run yourself down Aria, have a little faith in your ability as a Doctor. Trust me you’ll do well.”

The younger woman smiled, “I know it’s crazy, right? I know it is completely illogical to think the worst could happen before I’ve even stepped foot in Sickbay. I guess the longer I can go without messing up, it will maybe pass.”

Ariana grinned. “Trust me when I say, that feeling never goes away. I have that thought every time I counsel someone, what if I give the wrong advice? What if someone gets the wrong impression and does something silly?” She smiled. “You just have to learn not to listen to those voices in your head.”

“Hearing voices is still a bad thing though, right?” Aria queried with a grin.

“Let’s hope not!” Ariana laughed. “Or I’m crazy!!”

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