Giving Gifts

Posted on 17 Sep 2024 @ 3:15pm by Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

1,697 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Shattered Unity
Location: Yeoman's Office
Timeline: June 18 2390 || 1330 Hours

The last few days had been exhausting, and even though she'd slept more than eight hours the night before, she still felt a bit worn. Until all of this was over, chances were this current feeling was going to be last for a while. With a sigh, Joey stopped outside her surrogate sister's office and took a deep breath as she activated the chime, her gaze traveling to the small package in her hand. She hoped Mila would like her gift, and would know the answer to that soon.

Mila sat at her desk with a huge stack of PADDs on it, a look of intense concentration on her face as she entered information, transferred other information and prioritized who was getting what as she went along. Were it not for her eidetic memory, she felt that she would have long since fallen to the side and been swamped in her duties. However, she was not; only a little frazzled at having to coordinate with all of Belvedere and that one Captain in particular.

She looked up when she heard the chime, expecting even more work, then smiled when she saw her seestra. She waved her hand for Joey to enter, tapping a button on her console and released the door lock. "Joey! Be coming in!"

Joey smiled as she made her way inside. "Is now a bad time? I won't keep you long."

"Is always being a bad time lately," the shorter woman said with a smile. "But never when you are being around. To what am I owing pleasure of your visit?"

"A gift. Kind of a welcome home and office warming all in one," the taller woman replied as she held the gift wrapped in purple paper with a gold bow toward her. "I hope you like it. It's not much given our current situation with the influx of bodies, but it's heart felt."

Short of work related items, there was only a picture of her and Aidan on the pleasure planet where she first met him. She smiled and accepted it. "You did not have to get me anything, but I am thanking you, Joey," she said with a warm smile. She set it on the desk, then began to open it. "Purple is being my favorite color."

Another smile formed on her lips. "I knew that. I try to pay attention to the details," Joey said as she watched Mila open her gift.

Inside the box sat a picture of Alison and Jameson cuddling their stuffed animals with the brightest of smiles. The picture was already placed in a frame that was decorated in different shades of purple, and to add a more personal touch, a hand print from each little one was attached in opposite corners with their names inside.

Mila smiled and her eyes got a little moist when she looked at the two little ones. "My krestniki," she managed in a slightly choked voice. "They are being so beautiful. You and Harvey are being very lucky," she said as she let the picture right by her main console and beside the one of her and Aidan. "I am thanking you very much, Joey. You are best seestra in the universe."

Joey smiled and moved over to hug her. "You are most welcome, Mila. I know how much you love my little ones, and they love you, too. I thought being able to look over and see their smiling faces might make a bad day just a little better."

"I do," the shorter brunette said with a warm hug. "My godbabies are very sweet, just like their Mommy and Daddy are being. I am very glad to have met you, Joey."

"I'm glad to have met you, too, Mila. When you left, I felt like I was losing a part of me," Joey admitted softly. "When I found out you were coming back... I can't even begin to describe the pure joy and happiness I felt."

Mila smiled brightly. "It also got me godbabies," she said with a chuckle. "After all, I am not wanting to miss a thing."

Joey eyed her, but there was a smile on her face. "Really?"

The other woman couldn't help but giggle. "Da. Really."

"You are something else, but I can't be upset about it. That song started what turned out to be the beginning of the best days of my life. Thank you, Mila."

Mila smiled. "It was being my pleasure. I could not let Harvey drown in his work. I had thought about him once, but was long ago."

"As did the former Chief Medical Officer," Joey said. "And, I'm sure there were a few others before me as well. I never imagined I would join the Black Hawk and marry her Commanding Officer. It just goes to show that we don't know what life truly has in store for us."

"And I am being with a wonderful man that looks at me like I am his world," Mila said with a smile. "And have two wonderful godbabies."

"I'm so glad you and Aidan found another," the taller woman stated with a smile.

"I know I have told you tale, but it felt like a lifetime," the shorter brunette said with a fond smile. "We are thinking about buying spot of land there and maybe building home."

Joey looked thoughtful. "Maybe that's something we should consider. I'm not sure when we'll get back to earth, but it might be nice to build a house somewhere. Something to call ours. But, you and Aidan should definitely do that. We can visit once we've all retired."

"Retired?" Mila laughed. "Is a dream, but it is being possible if we are making it that long on this ship."

"A bit. Harvey's promotion was a bit of a surprise. He was always worried it would force him behind a desk, but so far, it doesn't seem like that is going to happen," Joey said. "I honestly think he would retire before ever taking a desk job."

"I am not saying the same," the shorter woman said with a laugh. "I am always behind desk even if my rank is no longer going up."

"Speaking of... will you put their picture on your desk, or take it to your quarters?" Joey asked. She did intend for it to stay in her office as a means to smile when things got rough, but wouldn't blame her if she wanted it closer.

"It would be nice to have one in quarters and one here," Mila said. "But I am not being greedy. I am thinking that I will leave them here for when I am needing smile at work."

"That's not greedy," the taller woman said with a smile. "I'll get you a picture for your quarters. It will even have a handmade frame like this one. Different, of course."

"You would do that for me?" The shorter woman smiled. "You are being too sweet, but I would love to have one for there as well."

Joey gave her an even brighter smile. "You know I would do that for you. You've become part of the family."

"It is being my absolute pleasure, too," Mila said. "I am hoping to always be so."

"As well as you treat me, Harvey and the kids, I can guarantee that," the Intelligence Chief stated. "I just hope we are treating you the same."

"Of course you are," Mila assured her. "I would not wish to have anyone else."

Joey smiled. "Neither would I. My life changed when I joined the ship's crew, and I have no regrets."

"Did you ever get feeling that I was pushing you and he together?" Mila asked with a grin.

"A bit," she replied with a smile. "Of course, I was a bit drawn to him after my first meeting with him. He seemed so... lonely. I originally went into things with Harvey wanting to be friends. But, things changed relatively quickly, and I was okay with that."

"I could not bear to see him alone and in Commander of ship," the short brunette said. "I tried to cheer him, but is not what he was needing."

Joey smiled again. "I don't think he was ready. At least, not right away."

"I am thinking was difference in course of entry into Starfleet, but is neither here nor there. What is important is that he is being happy again."

"I certainly hope so. That's what I want more than anything. A happy and healthy husband, and two happy and healthy children," the taller of the two women said. "And, let's not forget a happy and healthy godmother."

"I am always happy when I am seeing them," Mila said. "I would watch them all the time if I was having the time."

"I would spend all my time with them, too, if I could," Joey stated with another smile. "Well, I should let you get back to work, and I need to do the same. There's so much to do, and yet, I have no idea where to start."

"I cannot wait for Chow to see you again," Mila said. "I am sorry that we are always meeting outside of quarters."

"That's okay. Things haven't exactly been normal lately, so it's understandable. I really wanted to get this picture to you, too, for the same reason. I'll bring another to your quarters soon."

"I will be looking forward to it and seeing my godbabies again," Mila said with a smile.

The taller woman returned the smile. "We'll make sure you see them soon. I promise."

"I should probably be getting back to work," Mila said. "It is never ending, especially with promotion."

"Especially with everything going on," Joey said with a frown. Would they ever figure out who was behind all of this mess? She pushed the thought from her mind and moved in to hug her. "We'll talk soon. Try to keep yourself sane in the meantime."

MIla smiled and returned the hug. "You are to be doing same, seestra," she said. "Give love to the babies for me and I will see you next time."

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