Matchmaking

Posted on 04 Mar 2019 @ 2:36am by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Captain Harvey Geisler

1,848 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Kalisa Conundrum
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 00 || 1100 Hours

Joey thought about her impromptu breakfast with Landon that morning as she made her way to Harvey's ready room. Technically, she was supposed to be on duty, but it was close to lunchtime, and the twins knew it. They were relentless in their kicking and moving, so it only made sense that she sought out her husband to see if he wanted to join her. He had to eat, and it would allowed her the chance to talk to him about their new Assistant Chief of Medical.

Not knowing if anyone was inside with him prompted Joey to stop at the door and press the chime. If there was something important going on inside, she definitely didn't want to barge in, nor did she want the bridge crew to think she was getting special treatment for being his wife. On duty, and in uniform, she was the same as everyone else.

The door parted at Harvey's command. Instead of seating behind his desk, he'd relocated to the couch, holding a padd and sipping a glass of water. He hadn't planned on looking up to see who entered and was going to let the new arrival state his or her intentions upon arrival. Joey's perfume, however, provided more than enough nonvisual identification. But, it was not enough for him to stop reading. Instead, he patted the cushion beside him, inviting her to join him.

"Do you often invite people to sit next to you like this?" she asked with an unmistakable joking tone as she made her way over to the couch to settle down next to him. Joey was curious to know what had his attention, but made no move to try to look. As a Captain, much of what came across his desk was above her clearance level, and she had a great deal of respect for his privacy.

"Only those willing to put up with me after hours," Harvey replied, a smirk on his face. "Finishing the latest engineering update," he remarked, waving the padd he held. "Just a couple lines to go."

Oh, but she loved that smirk. "I'm sure there are quite a few people who would be willing to put up with you after hours," she said. "And in a way, that's why i came to see you. Well, that and food."

Harvey glanced at the chronometer on the padd. It was only 1100 hours, still some time before lunch. He almost pointed it out, but stopped himself. The woman sitting next to him on the couch was not just carrying his children, but would be hormonally and emotionally out of sorts until several weeks after childbirth. It would do his sleeping habits well to stay silent on the matter. "Oh? Is Mila setting up another dinner for us?"

"Not that I'm aware of. I had an interesting guest this morning in the officer's mess," she said. It was no secret that she ate more than the average person did, and had two very good reasons for doing so. "Doctor Landon Milo. I hadn't met him before this morning, though, and it was almost like he knew who I was."

The final few lines of the report seemingly evaporated in Harvey's eyes. Harvey was more than aware that Doctor Milo had returned aboard, albeit in a far less official capacity than before. "Well, he is a doctor and has access to the crew's medical records."

Joey nodded her head. That was true. "I think it went a bit farther than that. He knew we're married," she said, opting to leave out the part about Landon having feelings for her husband back when he was on the original ship. It was before her time, and there was no sense in making anyone uncomfortable. "Apparently, he and Mila had some kind of falling out, so he didn't wish to go through official channels in case some difficulties arose, and wished me to set a meeting up where you two could talk."

Harvey winced. "Hell hath no fury like a Russian woman's scorn," he muttered. "Not even a Klingon or Romulan could top it." He then paused, surprised by the lack of directness. "This seems a bit odd for Landon. Usually, he's very forward."

"Perhaps, but I told him I would talk to you and try to set something up for around 1200 hours tomorrow. If you're able to, of course," she said, knowing duty of a starship Captain could change from one minute to the next. "At first, it seemed like he didn't wish to see you one on one, but I managed to talk him into it. Even on your worst day, you don't bite. Maybe growl, snap and snarl, but no biting." And there was that joking tone again.

"Is there a reason he's being so indirect?" Harvey asked, setting the padd down. He had no memory of those last few lines, and seeing how this conversation was going, he likely wouldn't have a chance until later.

How did she put this delicately? Joey wasn't exactly sure, nor did she know if it would make things worse. "Well, there was a time when he had feelings for you," she began, prepared to gauge his reaction, but part of her had a feeling he already knew. "I think that might have a little to do with it."

If he wasn't surprised before, Harvey definitely was now. "I..." he stammered, unsure of what to say. "I... knew he was interested in my first officer at the time, and I thought he'd left because he was transferred back into intelligence." Harvey leaned back and placed the rear of his skull on top of the couch's rear support. As he stared up at the ceiling, he tried to replay those moments from more than a year ago, trying to find those missed cues.

"Well, he didn't exactly tell me so much as I figured it out, but he did confirm it when I asked," she told him, hoping it didn't make things awkward. That wasn't her intention.

Harvey shook his head, still coping with the new realization. He wasn't bothered at all by it, but he did worry what would happen if he told Landon that the doctor's feelings were mutual. Harvey frowned, not looking forward to that part of the conversation. "If that's why he's been avoiding me or using proper channels to see me, then I can understand why."

Joey felt bad for both men, but didn't wish to interfere anymore than she'd already had. "I honestly can't imagine how he feels. I've never really been in a situation like this before, but then, aside from you, I've only ever had one slightly serious relationship before. I was always too busy and traveling," she said, hoping to not open that can of worms.

"Never been dumped or shunned?" Harvey asked, looking towards her for a moment, before turning his attention to a quick swell in her womb. He lifted his left hand and placed it upon her, searching for the fetal forms of their children.

"Neither," Joey answered honestly, placing his hand where the majority of the movement was happening at the moment. His palm was greeted with a thump before something a bit harder formed there, causing her to wince a bit. "I've never been shunned because I never allowed myself to be put in that position. As for not being dumped, I did the dumping in the slightly serious relationship. My duties were picked up, so it only made sense that he and I part ways. I was a CPO after all, and the Gamma Quadrant is pretty far from home."

He chuckled, his hands still gently brushing on top of her swollen abdomen. "Home is where the heart is," he muttered. "Or so I've been told." There! One of the babies had kicked him swiftly, prompting Harvey to pause and keep the hand there for a few moments. For half a moment he wondered if it was Hope or Jameson, but he quickly decided that it didn't matter. "Besides, seems like everything worked out. If you'd stayed with him, either we never would have met, or I'd still be a grouchy old man."

"Everything worked out better than I could have ever hoped," she told him with a bright smile, a smile that reached her eyes and beyond. The truth was, Joey was grateful for the transfer she'd received when it came to finding herself in the Gamma Quadrant. It set a new life in motion she never thought she'd ever have. Or one she thought she wanted. Until she met him. "He is nothing more than a memory now. You, my love, have my heart completely. Now and forever. Grouchy old man and all."

Harvey grunted before leaning over to kiss his child, well, kiss the black uniform jacket that covered the red undershirt that covered the skin that kept the twins incubating inside. Pushing himself off the couch and walking over to the replicator, he asked, "1200 hours tomorrow, eh? Where were thinking of doing this? The Captain's mess?"

"I think that might be the best place," she confirmed, watching him move over to the replicator. Her nausea and morning sickness were gone, which pleased her greatly, but Joey was still afraid of the triggers. Like coffee. Though, she was at a point where she didn't deny him that simple pleasure. "Talons would be a bit crowded around that time. However, if you'd prefer Talons, I can make that happen, too."

"He is Betazoid," Harvey explained, requesting two glasses of water from the replicator. "While I know he doesn't mind a crowd, having somewhere were he can focus or be able to avoid potential embarrassment wouldn't be a bad idea." The replicator produced the beverages, allowing Harvey to pick up both glasses and return to the couch.

"Well... there's a bit of a problem there, but I'll leave him to tell you about that," she said, glancing at the water. It wasn't food, but if she drank enough of it, maybe it would suppress her appetite a bit.

He shook his head. "There's always a complication somewhere isn't there?" he asked rhetorically. No matter what he'd done in the last year, this ship always seemed to attract the most difficult of missions Starfleet had to offer whether he liked them or not. "Nope. Never mind. Don't answer that."

"Are you sure?" Joey asked. "Because I have an answer lined up for that question."

"Very sure," Harvey answered between drinks of water. "Besides, the more important question right now is where do you want to go for lunch. Talons? Here? Quarters?"

Joey took a sip of her water, but at the mention of food her stomach rumbled. "I'm good with any of those options as long as there are donuts and chocolate cake."

"Naturally," Harvey said with a smile, placing his cup of water on the end table beside the couch before extending a hand to Joey to help her up from the couch. "A brief respite in our quarters it is."

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