Going Home

Posted on Thu Sep 29th, 2016 @ 9:27am by

2,394 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Sickbay / Bawden Quarters

"Ok Commander, time to get you home." Xavier spoke wheeling in a chair for Mark to use. "With your balance still off this will probably be best for you."

I looked up even though my vision was still blurry, something about the brain recoverying from shock and the connection to the ocular implants still needing time but I was able to see the chair. "You got to be kidding Doc." I answered as I sat up on the bed slowly. "I'm a little off my game, not a bloody cripple."

"I'm not implying you are Commander but in your recovering condition we can't take the chance you suffer a fall and complicate the recovery." Xavier stopped the chair by the bed and then handed the Commander a uniform. "Ayla dropped a new one off for you, she took the old one."

"A keeper huh?" I asked.

"She is indeed." Xavier helped Mark get dressed and wheel the chair closer. "Don't worry I'll have you beamed home so you don't get seen. Just try to take it easy ok, no stress and no work. If Ayla tells me you have been working at home I'll ship you straight back here."

Wow....tag teamed, and not in a good way. "Sure thing Doc." I said pulling on my last boot before sitting myself in the chair. "I'm not being pushed everywhere."

"Controls are here under the panel, you can control it yourself, speed, chair settings for comfort." Xavier indicated all the buttons.

"What, no cup holder, cigar lighter?" I joked.

"No, but there a colostomy bag holder just back here on a hook if you fancy?"

"Har har, funny guy." I replied. "Ok, just get me home."

=^= Doctor Patrovski to Commander Bawden, Ayla are you ready for him?" Xavier asked. Ayla had already been given care instructions and medication for use when she took care of him at home. Meanwhile tests and simulations were being run by the computer live linked to Ayla surrounding the genetic situation with Marcie.

= Bawden's Den =

=^= "Iz ready, Doc," =^= Ayla sounded relieved that one of her family was coming home. She paced their common room of the suite of room. Thankfully Marcie was at school at the moment.

=Infirmary / Bawden's Den=

I was beamed home, my fat ass sat in a chair. The hero returns home, in a chair how very gallant. At least the lights at home were not as bright as they were in the Holodeck. "One broken me, reporting for duty." I spoke to Ayla. Not sure what was about to happen.

Ayla sat on his lap, listening to the wheel chair creak taking on the extra weight. She wrapped an arm around him, Delighted to see Mark up and about and at home. Yet there was worry for Marcie. "Iz glad to see yooz awake and at home, mezlove." She rested against him as she snuggled on his lap. "Yooz duty is to relax and let yooz department handle things. Yooz need to get better."

You know, it had felt soo long since we just sat like this, her in my lap in each others arms. At this moment all the troubles, all the woes seemed distant. Feel her weight against me, her curves pressed against me and the smell of her close. I knew her worry, I shared it and here I was my fat ass in a chair helpless to do anything about it. In that moment she made me feel young again. It almost reminded me of a moment before when she had to take down two guards to expose a conspiracy back at SFC. Yeah, I was dating that at the time and now I'm married to it. Fond memories and now I had new ones, two little girls. "I feel helpless."

I knew that was not all, Xavier was right about needing to open up more. I planned to ask Ayla to come with me to my sessions, not just moral support but may help both of us understand each other.

Ayla watched him through barely closed eyes, wondering what he was thinking. She had to be strong for him and her daughters. She held onto him for awhile longer. Then she got up off of him. "Lets get yooz more comfortable." Motioning towards the couch.

"Yeah." Mind filled with Marcie. My baby girl and here I was stick in a chair and ordered to take it easy. There was nothing easy to take when one of my daughters was unwell. I moved to the couch and slowly, gently...as per Dr's orders sat my backside onto the sofa.

Ayla fussed around Mark, helping when no help was needed, fluffing up the pillows for him to relax against. Scampered off and returned with a cool healthy drink that Mark seamed to favor. She set the drink on the coffee table before him within easy reach. Then scampered off to the linen closest and snagged a quilted comforter and returned.

She shook out the comforter and wrapped Marks up carefully and loosely in it. "Yooz just relax and take it easy. Iz have mez work transferred here to the Den's Console. Squeee. If yooz need anything, just let mez know!" She looked him over with a look of motherly concern and love of a wife at him.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you have yet to trade my difficult ass in for a younger, better 'in shape' model." I joked but yeah, sometimes I wondered why me over everyone else. Her choice I know but yeah, just sometimes.

Ayla looked at him, looking thoughtful. "Because, yooz chosen mez also." She smiled at him. "Besides the newer model would trade mez in for a newer model." She winked at him as she settled at the console to get caught up in her work and to check up on the progress of Marcie, who was at the infirmary being taken care of at the moment.

"Oh I don't know, there is something to be said for experience." Now I sported a smirk if there ever was one. My headache was throbbing but the medication was helping. "How is Marcie?" I couldn't ignore the situation even in my state of not being able to do anything about it. Even if I could at best all I could do was stomp around, strop and get nasty.

"Theyz have her sedated for the moment." Ayla turned to faced Mark. "Theyz say her body is changing yet falling apart at the same time." She spoke softly with a deep sadness.

Part of me wanted to say the age old cliche of 'Everything will be ok, they are doing what they can' but even they were puzzled. We knew the cause, knew what happened but now....yeah exactly that, what now. "Ayla, with what is happening to Marcie, what does that mean for you physically? Is what they have done still present? will this happen again should we have another? Does this have any lasting effects on you as you age?" May have seemed harsh but last thing I wanted was for something to happen to Ayla as a result of this.

"Iz dunno!" Ayla softly exclaimed as she turned to face Mark, her work forgotten. Ears wilted with worry. "Iz may be damaged beyond repair. But wez can still be intimate. Its..." Her voice goes softer, "..Wez ..Iz... Don't want to take a chance." Her shoulders slumped as her tail went limp behind her. She stood up and moved next to Mark, hugging him. "Iz was looking forward to having a large family. But now.. Iz dunno. Theyz messed mez up badly."

"We don't know that." I said while holding her but I was struggling to keep my anger in check. "If Xavier can treat Marcie maybe the same will work for you." I felt my nose run, my head tingled. I thought that in my emotional state I had just a runny nose but in fact it was a nose bleed. I could understand her choices consider what we were faced with. "I'm...sorry." I'd inadvertently bled on her shoulder, in her hair and it streamed down my chin almost covering it dripping onto my chest. "Call the Dr." My hand went numb and dropped into her lap from its former hugging position.

We all kid ourselves as we grow older that something bad wouldn't happen to us, it would get the next person instead but when it hits us, it's hard and fast and seems to take everything away. Marcie was sick, dying. I was in bad shape and helpless and Ayla was on her own having the weight of everything on her shoulders. I needed to get someone for her, to help her, to help me keep Ayla strong.

But who?

Ayla felt the wetness of liquid. She pulled back and looked at him. Eyes widened and yelled/squeaked, "Medical Emergency! Bawden's Den.. Iz Mean Quarters!" She tore a chunk off her uniform and used it to help stem the flow of blood.

In Medical, The alarm went off registering The Bawden Quarters.

Xavier was quick off the shot grabbing a medkit and anything else he'd need before darting out of Sickbay as fast as his feet could carry him.

Ayla giving soft 'Iz sorry! Iz sorry! Please get better!" As she laid Mark back onto his back, Placing a pillow under his neck to naturally to cause his head to tilt back. She was thankful her Daughters were away from the den.

"It's ok." I moaned as I was laid down. "It's not you're fault." I could mostly see through blurred vision her distress. "We knew this would be...a difficult time."

"Computer, Medical Emergancy Override, Bawden Quarters Patrovski Zeta Seven Six." Xavier had learned that by doing that before reaching the doors he didn't have to break pace and so charged straight in. He saw Ayla nursing mark and so straight away leapt into action. "Step aside please."

Xavier knelt and opened his Kit pulling out a scanner, a quick wave over told him everything. "I told you to keep calm." Then he spoke to Ayla as he tended to Mark. "He is still pretty fragile, his body just had a major shock to its system and as a result to control blood pressure a vessel ruptured in his nasal cavity. It's nothing serious but if his blood pressure drops too low it could cause major complications."

Xavier cleaned up the Commander. "I sent him here for recovery as its more relaxing than Sickbay." Once clean Xavier motioned for Ayla to step aside with him. "I know this is a difficult time, with Marcie and now Mark. He will have some sessions sceduled with the ships Counsellor to discuss his bottled up emotional state. I need you to keep him calm, relaxed. How I leave to you but he must be so or things will only get worse for him, I may have to send him off ship for treatment."

Ayla moved off and hovered nearby that her presence was felt without even hampering Xavier's treating Mark. She looked over his shoulder, watching. She began pacing once the bleeding had stopped. She listened again to Xavier, eyes wide as she nodded to Xavier. "Yes.. Quiet and peace." She nodded numbly to him. Eyes darting to Mark laying on the couch with a blood stained shirt and a piece of her uniform.

"Oh Squeakies! Iz will pamper him very well." Ayla nodded, unsure if that was going to happen or not. But she was determined to be with him where ever he was sent.

I knew the situation I was in was fragile at best. Xaiver had told me to keep calm but even the slightest inkling of anger and this happened. "I'm still alive you know, no need to whisper."

"Mostly alive, if you want to keep it that way then let Ayla do her thing, relax and take it easy." Xavier placed a remote monitor behind Mark's right ear. "This will alert me to anything if it happens and will permit me to monitor your readings." Standing upright again he exhaled. "In the mean time I suggest something to eat, both of you. This will not be easy for the pair of you but you need your strength up."

That was a given, that much I knew as I lay there resting. "Doc, since you are here. With what is happening to Marcie, what about Ayla?"

"I don't know yet. She passed her physicals and medicals fine but with what is happening to Marcie I'll need to run tests and checks. Meanwhile though my priority is Marcie."Xavier turned to Ayla. "If however anything happens to you, alert me immediately ok?"

"Yes sir," Ayla responded looking worried. "Iz need to alert the Captain that Iz and Marks need medical leave. Iz know Iz haven't been the best XO to the ship. But could yooz also inform the Captain that wez both need some time off from duty?" She looked hopeful at Xavier, briefly, then went into the kitchenette to fix something eat.

"I'll inform him, since I'm the relieving officer for medical care." Xavier replied. "Just rest, eat and keep an eye on each other. I'll be in Sickbay if you need me." He finished packing his medical kit again after leading a hypospray on the table, a pain killer and muscle relaxant.

Looking back at Mark, "Yooz want to inform yooz Second that yooz on Medical Leave, Mez love?" As she put together several cheese sandwiches from the cheese that they both loved to nibble on.

"Yeah I should probably do that." I needed to, no probably about it. I knew Charlotte could handle it, I just needed to meet with her and no way in hell Xavier would let me walk out of here to my office. "Thanks Doc."

"Just look after yourselves." Xavier replied then left, he wanted to make sure records were updated and also get the latest on the tests run on Marcie.

Ayla returned with the plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and set them on the table nearby Mark so he could grab them with ease. She moved to the console and sent a message to the Captain requesting Medical Leave to tend to family matters.

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