Sugar and spice...

Posted on Wed Apr 9th, 2025 @ 5:49pm by Colonel Jason "Jack" Frost & Lieutenant Acacia Thomas & Lieutenant Aaron Byrne

1,142 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Let That Be Your Last
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Slight backpost

Previously:

"Congratulations friends, it's a girl.". Aaron's words were soft, has he rubbed the baby girl trying to stimulate her. The faint mewling noise turned into an actual cry, and Acacia sagged against Jack trembling a little- then a lot from the ordeal.

Blood began to puddle at her feet and Aaron gave a soft sigh. "Colonel, get her on the bed, now please."

Aaron didn't wait for him to do what he'd asked, knowing that by the time he got back to her bedside she'd be where she needed to be. Without surprise he'd simply done the expedient thing and picked her up before anything else untoward could happen.

"Here. I'll trade you." Aaron said softly, and pressed the baby into his unsuspecting arms. She'd been wrapped in a soft white and green blanket, tye-dyed with a minty green and a deeper forest shade. The baby's puff of true scarlet hair and brilliant blue eyes were a testament to both of them, though her eyes had the shape of her fathers. His ears too if he was any judge. "Say hello to your daughter."

Aaron turned his complete attention to Acacia, who was still bleeding a fair amount. He went for an old fashioned remedy and Acacia yelped in surprised discomfort.

"You would do it too, and you know it. Gotta stop the bleeding."

She'd shifted a bit to watch Jack's face as he looked at his daughter....then the tears began to course unbidden down her cheeks as she struggled for control.

They had a BABY

Jack was a seasoned and decorated marine, fought his share of battles, had his fair share of close encounters, brushes with death and the odd closer scare given his line of work. He could field strip a phaser rifle blindfolded, he'd crawled through fields of mud and all manner of things to reach an objective, camped out for weeks with no shower or facilities to complete a mission. All of that paled to this very moment. In his arms was a baby girl, such a tiny thing, a beautiful thing, soo small, soo sweet.

At this very moment there was no marine, no Colonel, just a man named. "Look at you." His voice faint as he spoke to the baby. Jack may be rough around the edges, the Marines will do that to a person and Jack wore them like badges of honour but now, it was like he was someone else. He was so gentle with her, holding her like the universe itself would collapse if he didn't. He put the tip of his index finger into her tiny little hand and watched this little digits grasp it. He let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

The realization slapped him like a train, there was a moment of a pause as it sank in. "I'm a Dad." He turned to look at Acacia. "I'm a Dad."

Acacia, exhausted from the ordeal smiled blindingly at the two of them. Tears still wet on her cheeks she whispered back "You're a Dad. I...called you Papa when I talked to my belly. I thought it was...I mean..." Her cheeks flushed crimson as she remembered the reaction she'd had the first time she'd talked about Daddy to the child in her belly. She couldn't do it. "If you like it.".

Aaron was trying to stay quiet and allow them to bond and he had to choke back a laugh at her embarrassment. He could only imagine the vivacious woman's reaction to calling her marine 'Daddy'. He pressed a hypo to her throat before hooking an IV setup to the cannula he'd inserted into her forearm. Bright red liquid dripped color back into her cheeks as he replaced the blood shed lost.

Jack was gentle with his precious cargo nestled in his arms. "I don't mind one bit." Jack was looking at the baby he was holding, that little hand grasping his finger. "She's got my finger." It was funny in a way for him, how something so utterly innocent, when paired with someone like Jack and the things his work required of him.

Wiping her cheek, she brushed away the tears that still lingered on her skin. Eyes closing for a moment she took a deep breath and opened them again, looking at the family they'd just created. "She's got your eyes too." she murmured looking between the two of them.

"I've noticed." Jack smiled gently swaying as he walked back to Acacia. "Your turn to say hello I think." Mother baby bonding time was really important right after birth, he didn't want to deny her that in any way.

She moved over, so that he could sit beside her on the bed and accepted the baby from him. Her lip quivered slightly as she gazed down at the baby girl. "Hi baby..." she whispered

Jack watched, taking in the scene before him as Mother and Daughter came together. Things would be different now, a lot different, but it was expected and he was ready for it.

Sniffling, her eyes met her daughter's. Her fingertips stroked down her little cheek to her perfect little lips. Closing her eyes, two tears slid down her cheeks one on each side. "You're not disappointed with a girl first are you?"

Jack was puzzled, a question he didn't expect. "Why would I be disappointed?" He spoke softly wondering where the question came from.

"When I was reading about human customs, specifically those about babies...I found several instances that indicated the cultural importance of carrying on the surname through male children."

"I'm pretty sure people hardly expect a Marine, trained to take life, and a Doctor trained to save it, making it." Jack replied.

"You are trained to protect life. Just because you have to take it sometimes does not mean that it is the objective." she countered reaching out to him with the hand not cradling their baby.

Jack smiled reaching out and taking her offered hand. "That's also true." He replied looking at mother and babe. "I should let you rest, I have a few things to wrap up at the barracks before end of shift."

"I'd imagine that your second has taken care of everything." she murmured, looking up at him, drawing his hand to her cheek. She pressed a kiss into the gloved palm, her meaning clear. "Maybe check the status board?

"My second has issues of her own, which I'm sure you're aware of." While Jack had tried to suppress news of what happened leaking, at some point it would come out. "Give me 15 minutes to put some things in place. Maybe Captain Sean can hold the fort for a bit." Jack slowly removed himself without causing too much movement as to not disturb the baby. "I'll be back."

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