Judgement – Time Twist
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham
Post Details
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Chelsea had pulled an extra couple of hours of duty to be there to tend to Rick when they got back from the Time Travel incident which had planted them back only a minute or two after they'd first left even though they'd been gone for hours which had 'felt' to the CMO like years! In more ways than one!
After she had discharged Rick, Chelsea finished off a few chores in Sickbay and then left the current duty shift to get on with their day and returned to the quarters they shared.
It was still odd not to have Kim there, but it felt really good for them to be alone for a change. She walked in and called out to Rick.
"Honey? I'm back!" She said, looking round the familiar rooms with fresh eyes, glad to be home safely, remembering how she had wondered if she'd ever be here again.
"Hiya honey," said Dunham with smile as he came out of the bedroom. He was holding a padd in one hand. He crossed over the room to give her a welcoming cuddle and a kiss on the cheek. "I was just doing bit of reading," he smiled again as he showed her the padd. "Latest from the old man and starfleet science academy. How was your day?"
"The old man?" she asked without thinking that she would have to adjust to whatever changes they had made in the timelline. "Well, I've only been gone an hour or two... and we have the fantastic news of your promotion to celebrate, so I didn't stay. I'm not actually on duty but i went in because you were there and you know me... i never let any other doctor or nurse near you in case they steal you away!" she grinned, slipping into his arms and kissing him.
"But those nurses uniforms are so hot," he said playfully, kissing her neck. Unfortunately sometimes in the situation Rick had a way of spoiling the moment by accident by speaking out loud the thoughts in his head so he wasn't too surprised when the following comment of "Perhaps we should give my mum and dad a call you know about the promotion.....and the wedding" provoked a response from the women he loved.
"NURSES uniform.....??" Chelsea spluttered..... "what about DOCTORS' uniforms??" she looked around for something wet or unpleasant with which to retaliate.
Dunham held in a laugh, but he was creasing up with the giggles. "Who ever heard of a sexy doctors outfit?" said Dunham trying to restrain the grin that was creeping around the edge of his lips. "Everyone knows its the Nurses with the sexy uniforms."
"Of course, what *was* I thinking?!" Chelsea answered in a dangerously quiet, emotion-free tone, with one eyebrow raised, but on being unable to find a suitable means of retribution, she retreated behind the age old feminine wile 'the silent treatment' and simply turned on her heel and disappeared into the shower without another word.
She dropped the uninteresting doctor's uniform on the bedroom floor on her way there and set the shower on 'water' rather than 'sonic', immersing *herself* in water instead of Rick.
How did this just happen? thought Dunham to himself, how did he end up joking with Chelsea one minute, then go to her turning his back on him, marching off and giving him the silent treatment, what had he done wrong? He had been joking.
~She did realise that, right? Women! What man could ever figure them out?~
He called after her "I was joking" he then followed her into the shower room, Trying not to get distracted by the view before him and trying to stay on topic, but his eyes couldn't help but wander. "I'm sorry, i was only joking...."
"I know" she said matter of factly, not looking at him. "But then.... so was i" she said, suddenly reaching out like a viper striking, grabbing him by the front of his uniform top and tugging him violently into the shower with her, fully dressed.
Dunham was startled and dripping with water, spluttered in shock as he was dragged into the shower. His uniform once again became socking wet. From the outset a casual observer would've thought he would've learnt by now. But no. He stood there wet through, and his boots filing up water.
Chelsea would have doubled up with laughter if the shower had been big enough. As i was she just looked at Rick's stunned face, his dripping hair and between gasps of uncontrollable laughter she managed to point to his boots and slide helplessly down the shower wall. "Nurses uniforms?" she choked through her laughter with no hint of remorse, tugging at his wet shirt and grinning at him. "I kinda like wet CAG uniforms myself....."
The water from the shower cascaded down on them both. Chelsea tugged on Ricks uniform and pulled him in for a kiss. In the confined space her back was pressed against the steamed up glass of the shower areas walls. They embraced; Dunhams hands eagerly wandering her body. His lips gently kissed her from her chest up to the neck. their lips touched gently at first then with fire and passion soothed by the waters touch.
* * * * * * * * * *
Later after the steam had dispersed there were two new uniforms replicated and carefully put on in readiness for a couple of vid-phone calls. Chelsea helped Rick straighten his new pips and recycled his old, soaked uniform. She'd have to take his boots to be recycled and order a new pair from the Quartermaster later but for now he had to manage with his second pair.
They tidied themselves up and sat in front of the screen, side by side, ready to face the unknown. Rick put in the first call. Chelsea reached for his hand beneath the desk, unseen by the vid-pickup.
Ricks finger hovered over the button of the communication link up control unit, "Are you all right? you're trembling a little." Rick could feel the vibrations of her shaking hand through his own.
"Course I am!" Chelsea replied instantly, withdrawing her hand and beaming at him, cursing herself for the slip. She wasn't supposed to let him know she'd already met Eric and she had NO idea whatsoever how her mother-in-law would have been changed by the new timeline. She'd been scary enough the first time round, now it was as if Chelsea was having to meet her all over again and no-one in her position could possibly be looking forward to that.
~What sort of tricks would she get up to *this* time?~ Chelsea wondered in trepidation of being made a fool of again. She sucked in a deep breath and told herself silently. ~I suppose there are worse things that could happen. Just face her down like you did before, if she makes an idiot of you, so? Life goes on!~
"I'm fine.... i'm just excited about the news we've got for them." she hated this. Having never had occasion to lie to Rick ever before she was finding this 'lack of truth by omission' very hard to cope with.
Dunham taken in by this, smiled reassuringly and squeezed her leg as a comforting gesture. Then the comlink was opened between the USS Haganon and Deep space Five. Rick was a little surprised to get the face of a Ferengi on the other side of the communication line. He recognised his friend. "Krem? What you doing on line?"
"I have the con...." he shrugged. "Only ranking bridge officer around, all the others are now on shore leave."
Rhys scratched his head in thought "Can you put me through to my mum I'd like to have chat if I may?"
His Ferengi friend looked back at him in puzzlement for a moment. "Dude what....we docked at deep space five about twenty minutes ago?"
The door entry chime rang.
"I'll catch you later" said the Ferengi, winking and breaking the comm link.
Chelsea nearly flew out of her seat but not towards the door, rather away from it towards the bedroom. She had been wearing only her uniform top and knickers, knowing the bottom half of her could not be seen so she now had to scramble for some trousers in a frantic attempt to make herself decent. It was Sod's Law that she couldn't find any trousers so she pulled on a skirt which was casual and very clearly not at all in keeping with the uniform top.
She didn't have time to change the top, she could only pull on one shoe and hop as she tried to get the other on in time to make it back to the living area in time. Standing upright just as the out-laws entered, she suddenly realised her hair had come loose and fallen down around her shoulders.
Looking dishevelled and mis-matched, Chelsea had self-perpetuated her own worst fear and made *herself* look like an idiot!
"Enter" said Rick smiling towards the door. As soon as it had slid open a small bond haired blur short through the door and leapt up into Chelsea's arms, smothering her in a big hug and gleeful laughing. Following in after her Grandchild was Margaret Dunham. Closely followed by her daughter and her newly re-acquainted husband Nick Western. There was sounds of joyful reunion between Rick and his brother in law. Followed by a large manly bear hug. The large Marine NCO picking up the pilot off the floor.
"Hows my favourite Doctor?" Asked Margaret giving both Chelsea and Kim a collective hug and kissing Chelsea on the cheek.
"Um... I don't know... do I know him?" Chelsea quipped, desperately trying to recover from the trauma of looking like a scarecrow's wife and now being hugged half to death by someone who, last time she met her was intent on dismantling her one piece at a time.
Breathless, Chelsea apologised. "Sorry Margaret, I'm being flippant. I'm fine thank you, how are you?"
"All the better for seeing you my dear. Your looking.....urrrmmmm higgly de piggldy...we didn't catch you in the middle of something did we?" The Captain looked her up and down with a concerned mothering look, but had a smile on her face and in twinkle in her eye. "Maybe working on some more grandchildren for me?" Another smile and hug, but an "Ewww grandma!" of exclamation from Kim.
Chelsea flushed bright red but accepted that was a better explanation than trying to explain what really happened. It was close enough.
"Well, I *know* you've always said you'd like that.... " she hoped that actually *was* what Margaret had said in this timeline. "And Rick's just had some good news so we we're celebrating." she added, turning the attention back to the grinning CAG and wiping the smile off his face.
"Ah yes." Said Dunham temporally forgetting why they had been getting ready to call his parents anyway. He pointed to the extra pip on his collar with the finger that carried his engagement band on it.
Chelsea blushed at the blatant declaration and just looked at Rick's assembled family. The question on Erica's face, the expression on Margaret's and the joy on Kim's were simultaneous. She didn't have time to see what Nick was looking at before she had to move closer to Rick to save herself being kerpouncled into the sofa by a flying Kim.
Holding up her own engagement ring and placing it beside Rick's she shrugged and grinned. There was no need, nor time for words before the launched Kim landed between them sending all three of them crash-tackled into the furniture.
Margaret grinned and laughed in delight, bringing her hands together in a joyful slap. "Brilliant. Congratulations." she said trying to help them both off the floor and giving them congratulatory hugs and kisses. "I had feeling about you two." She then sighed a little. "I wish your father were here to see this Rick......you know we should probably call him."
Then the door entry chime rang again.
Chelsea reciprocated Margaret and Kim's hugs and was just accepting Erica and Nick's congratulations as the chime rang.
"I'm sorry about this" she told their visitors and went towards the door assuming it was something either Medical or CAG that she might be able to head off so as not to interrupt their family moment.
As she got to the door she called out "Coming!" and was standing in the doorway when it opened, her intention to deal with whoever had come with the day's report padds and send them quickly away so she could return to the guests.
"Congratulations kiddo." said a large bunch of flowers in a warm friendly greeting. Sticking his head out from behind it was Dunham senior. He grinned "Welcome to family....I'd say you don't what your in for..." he smiled winked and whispered in humorousness conspiratorial tones. "But you do." he winked again. He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you."
Shocked but not quite speechless, Chelsea was seized with a bewildered desire to hurl the flowers out of the way and just grab Eric in a bearhug, finding a rush of immense comfort in the feeling of being with someone who had shared in this and more, someone who was actual evidence that she hadn't gone completely mad over one lunchtime.
Her eyes filled with tears that she couldn't help and for a few seconds as she struggled with her overloaded emotions and confusion. She hadn't been able to deal with any of this and it was building up with every strange new happening.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, the question seeming innocuous to those who would think she only meant how long had he been on his way from Earth but for the two of them who knew more, it was a plea for some assistance with what the heck was going on in this *new* timeline that she was suddenly supposed to have memories of and to have apparently lived through, like all the others present.
It felt to Chelsea like being an imposter; the only person there who shouldn't be, who hadn't lived the 'lives' the others had, who didn't know what happened yesterday or last year - or how long exactly? Even *that* wasn't clear to her yet.
Who exactly *was* she, what had been said and done? These people were different. Margaret especially, and of course it meant that Erica & Nick *must* be different too although that point was okay at least, as Chelsea hadn't gotten to know the 'other' Erica and Nick so she could start afresh there at least.....
Thoughts, questions, what if's, all charged round inside Chelsea's head, bumping into each other and falling down unanswered.
~What about Kim..... is she?.... well, she doesn't *seem* any different but presumably she wouldn't have run away from home and arrived to stay... or would she? How did that all happen in *this* timeline? Does Darson still expect her to become a Marine? Did I *actually* have that conversation with Darson about her? Did we ever go shopping, have long chats, spend girls' time together?~
Chelsea felt like her head was going to explode but the one thing that was *really* tying knots in her sanity was Rick.
Whatever had gone on with Kim, it was clear that at least Margaret was a different person from having had different experiences, so what did that say about the rock in Chelsea's life?
The whole black quagmire that threatened to swallow her whole and drown her was the uncertainty about not being able to talk to Rick - how could she know what he remembered? How much of that would be same as her own memories and how much would have been different for him, the way it was for his mother? A man who had lost his father young would grow up differently from one who hadn't experienced that, wouldn't he?
There was suddenly a possibility that Rick might perhaps be someone who had changed too, changed from Chelsea's memories of him. Then again, even if he wasn't, she suddenly felt isolated from him by this secrecy. Chelsea hadn't had time to digest the reality of having to keep secrets from Rick or worse, not being able to discuss any of this openly with him. It was a huge issue to her and with any type of issue, small or large, she had become accustomed to being able to rely on Rick and talking things over with him allowed her to dip into the serenity that contact with his soul always brought her. What would happen to that connection now?
Chelsea was a ship adrift and the sight of Eric brought it all home to her in one wave of nauseous realisation. For the first time since she was a child, Chelsea felt the fingers of panic grip at her stomach. "What if he doesn't feel the same in this timeline?" she managed to choke through the huge bunch of flowers that Eric had put into her arms gently, hiding her face from the others as he leaned in for a hug which also protected his reply from them too.
"Excuse me everybody." Said Eric as he took Chelsea back outside into the hall way, "Just have to have a heart to heart with my new daughter in law"he said closing the door behind them. "ok stand there" he said pointing to a spot on the floor." She did so. Eric Dunham suddenly and un-ceremoniously gave her a affectionate clip around the back of the head. "Stop being an idiot." He began to count the facts down on his fingers. "One. The time line has not changed that much, on a mathematical scale its 0.0019 percent. Two everybody in that room are exactly the same as they were before we changed things. Three, this includes your husband to be. He is in every fundamental way the same being. Three.....I mean four. All events pertaining to and building up to this change are the same in practically every way. Everything you did, everything you have done, nothing changed except one thing.
Which leads me to point five. The only thing that may vary from how you remember it, is that Margaret was perhaps a little and I emphasise the word little, bit nicer to you than when you met the first time.....oh and that I'm alive. But don't worry about that, its all taken care of. I'm a professional when it comes to time." he dismissed it with a wave of his hand "We have this great alien thinga-ma-bob in the office. Now my last point....what was that...point six? yes. Right you cant tell anyone!" He smiled "Any question? Oh and yes I've been here for last..." he looked at his watch. "four days."
"Four days??" She rolled her eyes. "I don't understand..... " she ducked as he seemed likely to take a step towards her again. Grinning she just rolled her eyes and realising this time instead of reaching out to pretend to chastise her, he had reached out both arms for a hug which she gratefully slipped safely into and sighed.
"It's a good job you're not just an expert with time, but also with daughters-in-law." she gave him a lop-sided grin and hugged him again.
"I'm a bit of a baby when it comes down to it, aren't i? Good job I found someone as brave, strong and heroic as Rick to keep the scary stuff at bay" she said a little sheepishly.
*Cough* "He takes after his dad" said Eric as he gave Chelsea a hug. He held her in both hands and looked her straight in the eye for a serious moment. "Chelsea I need you to be strong ok? I know its going to be hard for you not to talk to Rick about this stuff. But you can't tell him, not yet. Just be patient. In time he will remember but he has to do it himself through the proper course of urrrmm....time"
"I'll do my best, my *very* best." she promised, taking strength from those Dunham eyes. "He gets quite a bit from his dad, doesn't he?" she smiled.
"Of course he does" he smiled again. "Shall we go back and meet the masses?"
"Yes please!" she said, her smile brightening as she held her head up again. Taking his hand she stepped back towards the door. "Thanks.... " she began and looked Eric in the eyes once more. "Thanks *dad*"
The unlikely temporal aware individuals re-entered the joint quarters of the CMO and CAG, and soon to be the joint quarters of a married couple. The family seemed to be sitting down on sofa's and chairs around the living room coffee table smiling, chatting and exchanging stories. Rank was set aside in this family environment, and it seemed that Mrs Dunham looked on her family with a proud wistful smile. She greeted her husband with a kiss and a hug, and indicated for them to join them, forever playing the mother hen. But in a good way.
Chelsea sat down, *much* more relaxed now, glancing now and then towards Eric and taking deep breaths as the charming family atmosphere soothed her and the charismatic father-in-law-to-be proved by his presence that it really *was* going to be alright.
After a few minutes chatting gently, joining in with the laughter at the anecdotes and jokes, Chelsea stood up and went to the replicator. "You must all be hungry. What shall we eat?" she asked. "Shall I just put a buffet together and we can pick bits?"
Their happy nods and comments of agreement. "I'll Help" said Erica following Chelsea to the replicator. "So how you doing?" she said as they had a moment alone near the main group. It had been a while since they last talked, and when they had Erica had said Rick would always choose career and starfleet over family. Looks like she had been wrong.
"I'm good thank you. It's so good to have everyone together." Chelsea replied, tactfully avoiding the subject of their last conversation.
"Yes it is." Said Erica with a smile looking back at her husband.
"How is Nick doing?" Chelsea asked as they collected together an array of small savoury and vegetable dishes with some salads, some cold meats, an assortment of cheeses and other delicacies from various planets' recipe books.
Placing the items on the large table in the dining area, the sisters-in-law to be then started collecting up jugs of a delicious variety of juices and water, carbonated and still, with and without ice. They then added some milks, Baran Yaks', Terran Cows' and a couple of cafetieres of coffee and some hot water with a selction of teas from all over the universe.
Right in the middle Chelsea placed a huge iced cake that bore the inscription "Congratulations Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham - DS5's New CAG" They stood back, admired the spread, added cutlery, plates, cups and saucers for an old fashioned 'formal' effect and napkins.
Then they invited the family to come over and help themselves, standing back as polite hostesses, allowing the others to go first. Everyone took one look at the cake and stood back to allow Rick to come forward first.
"Happy Promotion Day, Sweetheart." Chelsea smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was saving the more enthusiastic of her congratulatory kisses for when they were alone later.
Off:
Lieutenant Commander
Richard Dunham
CAG
&
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham
Post Details
| Title | Time Twist | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Commander Chelsea Dunham & Commander Richard Dunham | |
| Posted | Sat Oct 30, 2010 @ 10:40pm | |
| Location | CMO's & CAG's Joint Quarters | |
| Timeline | SD34 - 16.00 |
Chelsea had pulled an extra couple of hours of duty to be there to tend to Rick when they got back from the Time Travel incident which had planted them back only a minute or two after they'd first left even though they'd been gone for hours which had 'felt' to the CMO like years! In more ways than one!
After she had discharged Rick, Chelsea finished off a few chores in Sickbay and then left the current duty shift to get on with their day and returned to the quarters they shared.
It was still odd not to have Kim there, but it felt really good for them to be alone for a change. She walked in and called out to Rick.
"Honey? I'm back!" She said, looking round the familiar rooms with fresh eyes, glad to be home safely, remembering how she had wondered if she'd ever be here again.
"Hiya honey," said Dunham with smile as he came out of the bedroom. He was holding a padd in one hand. He crossed over the room to give her a welcoming cuddle and a kiss on the cheek. "I was just doing bit of reading," he smiled again as he showed her the padd. "Latest from the old man and starfleet science academy. How was your day?"
"The old man?" she asked without thinking that she would have to adjust to whatever changes they had made in the timelline. "Well, I've only been gone an hour or two... and we have the fantastic news of your promotion to celebrate, so I didn't stay. I'm not actually on duty but i went in because you were there and you know me... i never let any other doctor or nurse near you in case they steal you away!" she grinned, slipping into his arms and kissing him.
"But those nurses uniforms are so hot," he said playfully, kissing her neck. Unfortunately sometimes in the situation Rick had a way of spoiling the moment by accident by speaking out loud the thoughts in his head so he wasn't too surprised when the following comment of "Perhaps we should give my mum and dad a call you know about the promotion.....and the wedding" provoked a response from the women he loved.
"NURSES uniform.....??" Chelsea spluttered..... "what about DOCTORS' uniforms??" she looked around for something wet or unpleasant with which to retaliate.
Dunham held in a laugh, but he was creasing up with the giggles. "Who ever heard of a sexy doctors outfit?" said Dunham trying to restrain the grin that was creeping around the edge of his lips. "Everyone knows its the Nurses with the sexy uniforms."
"Of course, what *was* I thinking?!" Chelsea answered in a dangerously quiet, emotion-free tone, with one eyebrow raised, but on being unable to find a suitable means of retribution, she retreated behind the age old feminine wile 'the silent treatment' and simply turned on her heel and disappeared into the shower without another word.
She dropped the uninteresting doctor's uniform on the bedroom floor on her way there and set the shower on 'water' rather than 'sonic', immersing *herself* in water instead of Rick.
How did this just happen? thought Dunham to himself, how did he end up joking with Chelsea one minute, then go to her turning his back on him, marching off and giving him the silent treatment, what had he done wrong? He had been joking.
~She did realise that, right? Women! What man could ever figure them out?~
He called after her "I was joking" he then followed her into the shower room, Trying not to get distracted by the view before him and trying to stay on topic, but his eyes couldn't help but wander. "I'm sorry, i was only joking...."
"I know" she said matter of factly, not looking at him. "But then.... so was i" she said, suddenly reaching out like a viper striking, grabbing him by the front of his uniform top and tugging him violently into the shower with her, fully dressed.
Dunham was startled and dripping with water, spluttered in shock as he was dragged into the shower. His uniform once again became socking wet. From the outset a casual observer would've thought he would've learnt by now. But no. He stood there wet through, and his boots filing up water.
Chelsea would have doubled up with laughter if the shower had been big enough. As i was she just looked at Rick's stunned face, his dripping hair and between gasps of uncontrollable laughter she managed to point to his boots and slide helplessly down the shower wall. "Nurses uniforms?" she choked through her laughter with no hint of remorse, tugging at his wet shirt and grinning at him. "I kinda like wet CAG uniforms myself....."
The water from the shower cascaded down on them both. Chelsea tugged on Ricks uniform and pulled him in for a kiss. In the confined space her back was pressed against the steamed up glass of the shower areas walls. They embraced; Dunhams hands eagerly wandering her body. His lips gently kissed her from her chest up to the neck. their lips touched gently at first then with fire and passion soothed by the waters touch.
* * * * * * * * * *
Later after the steam had dispersed there were two new uniforms replicated and carefully put on in readiness for a couple of vid-phone calls. Chelsea helped Rick straighten his new pips and recycled his old, soaked uniform. She'd have to take his boots to be recycled and order a new pair from the Quartermaster later but for now he had to manage with his second pair.
They tidied themselves up and sat in front of the screen, side by side, ready to face the unknown. Rick put in the first call. Chelsea reached for his hand beneath the desk, unseen by the vid-pickup.
Ricks finger hovered over the button of the communication link up control unit, "Are you all right? you're trembling a little." Rick could feel the vibrations of her shaking hand through his own.
"Course I am!" Chelsea replied instantly, withdrawing her hand and beaming at him, cursing herself for the slip. She wasn't supposed to let him know she'd already met Eric and she had NO idea whatsoever how her mother-in-law would have been changed by the new timeline. She'd been scary enough the first time round, now it was as if Chelsea was having to meet her all over again and no-one in her position could possibly be looking forward to that.
~What sort of tricks would she get up to *this* time?~ Chelsea wondered in trepidation of being made a fool of again. She sucked in a deep breath and told herself silently. ~I suppose there are worse things that could happen. Just face her down like you did before, if she makes an idiot of you, so? Life goes on!~
"I'm fine.... i'm just excited about the news we've got for them." she hated this. Having never had occasion to lie to Rick ever before she was finding this 'lack of truth by omission' very hard to cope with.
Dunham taken in by this, smiled reassuringly and squeezed her leg as a comforting gesture. Then the comlink was opened between the USS Haganon and Deep space Five. Rick was a little surprised to get the face of a Ferengi on the other side of the communication line. He recognised his friend. "Krem? What you doing on line?"
"I have the con...." he shrugged. "Only ranking bridge officer around, all the others are now on shore leave."
Rhys scratched his head in thought "Can you put me through to my mum I'd like to have chat if I may?"
His Ferengi friend looked back at him in puzzlement for a moment. "Dude what....we docked at deep space five about twenty minutes ago?"
The door entry chime rang.
"I'll catch you later" said the Ferengi, winking and breaking the comm link.
Chelsea nearly flew out of her seat but not towards the door, rather away from it towards the bedroom. She had been wearing only her uniform top and knickers, knowing the bottom half of her could not be seen so she now had to scramble for some trousers in a frantic attempt to make herself decent. It was Sod's Law that she couldn't find any trousers so she pulled on a skirt which was casual and very clearly not at all in keeping with the uniform top.
She didn't have time to change the top, she could only pull on one shoe and hop as she tried to get the other on in time to make it back to the living area in time. Standing upright just as the out-laws entered, she suddenly realised her hair had come loose and fallen down around her shoulders.
Looking dishevelled and mis-matched, Chelsea had self-perpetuated her own worst fear and made *herself* look like an idiot!
"Enter" said Rick smiling towards the door. As soon as it had slid open a small bond haired blur short through the door and leapt up into Chelsea's arms, smothering her in a big hug and gleeful laughing. Following in after her Grandchild was Margaret Dunham. Closely followed by her daughter and her newly re-acquainted husband Nick Western. There was sounds of joyful reunion between Rick and his brother in law. Followed by a large manly bear hug. The large Marine NCO picking up the pilot off the floor.
"Hows my favourite Doctor?" Asked Margaret giving both Chelsea and Kim a collective hug and kissing Chelsea on the cheek.
"Um... I don't know... do I know him?" Chelsea quipped, desperately trying to recover from the trauma of looking like a scarecrow's wife and now being hugged half to death by someone who, last time she met her was intent on dismantling her one piece at a time.
Breathless, Chelsea apologised. "Sorry Margaret, I'm being flippant. I'm fine thank you, how are you?"
"All the better for seeing you my dear. Your looking.....urrrmmmm higgly de piggldy...we didn't catch you in the middle of something did we?" The Captain looked her up and down with a concerned mothering look, but had a smile on her face and in twinkle in her eye. "Maybe working on some more grandchildren for me?" Another smile and hug, but an "Ewww grandma!" of exclamation from Kim.
Chelsea flushed bright red but accepted that was a better explanation than trying to explain what really happened. It was close enough.
"Well, I *know* you've always said you'd like that.... " she hoped that actually *was* what Margaret had said in this timeline. "And Rick's just had some good news so we we're celebrating." she added, turning the attention back to the grinning CAG and wiping the smile off his face.
"Ah yes." Said Dunham temporally forgetting why they had been getting ready to call his parents anyway. He pointed to the extra pip on his collar with the finger that carried his engagement band on it.
Chelsea blushed at the blatant declaration and just looked at Rick's assembled family. The question on Erica's face, the expression on Margaret's and the joy on Kim's were simultaneous. She didn't have time to see what Nick was looking at before she had to move closer to Rick to save herself being kerpouncled into the sofa by a flying Kim.
Holding up her own engagement ring and placing it beside Rick's she shrugged and grinned. There was no need, nor time for words before the launched Kim landed between them sending all three of them crash-tackled into the furniture.
Margaret grinned and laughed in delight, bringing her hands together in a joyful slap. "Brilliant. Congratulations." she said trying to help them both off the floor and giving them congratulatory hugs and kisses. "I had feeling about you two." She then sighed a little. "I wish your father were here to see this Rick......you know we should probably call him."
Then the door entry chime rang again.
Chelsea reciprocated Margaret and Kim's hugs and was just accepting Erica and Nick's congratulations as the chime rang.
"I'm sorry about this" she told their visitors and went towards the door assuming it was something either Medical or CAG that she might be able to head off so as not to interrupt their family moment.
As she got to the door she called out "Coming!" and was standing in the doorway when it opened, her intention to deal with whoever had come with the day's report padds and send them quickly away so she could return to the guests.
"Congratulations kiddo." said a large bunch of flowers in a warm friendly greeting. Sticking his head out from behind it was Dunham senior. He grinned "Welcome to family....I'd say you don't what your in for..." he smiled winked and whispered in humorousness conspiratorial tones. "But you do." he winked again. He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you."
Shocked but not quite speechless, Chelsea was seized with a bewildered desire to hurl the flowers out of the way and just grab Eric in a bearhug, finding a rush of immense comfort in the feeling of being with someone who had shared in this and more, someone who was actual evidence that she hadn't gone completely mad over one lunchtime.
Her eyes filled with tears that she couldn't help and for a few seconds as she struggled with her overloaded emotions and confusion. She hadn't been able to deal with any of this and it was building up with every strange new happening.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, the question seeming innocuous to those who would think she only meant how long had he been on his way from Earth but for the two of them who knew more, it was a plea for some assistance with what the heck was going on in this *new* timeline that she was suddenly supposed to have memories of and to have apparently lived through, like all the others present.
It felt to Chelsea like being an imposter; the only person there who shouldn't be, who hadn't lived the 'lives' the others had, who didn't know what happened yesterday or last year - or how long exactly? Even *that* wasn't clear to her yet.
Who exactly *was* she, what had been said and done? These people were different. Margaret especially, and of course it meant that Erica & Nick *must* be different too although that point was okay at least, as Chelsea hadn't gotten to know the 'other' Erica and Nick so she could start afresh there at least.....
Thoughts, questions, what if's, all charged round inside Chelsea's head, bumping into each other and falling down unanswered.
~What about Kim..... is she?.... well, she doesn't *seem* any different but presumably she wouldn't have run away from home and arrived to stay... or would she? How did that all happen in *this* timeline? Does Darson still expect her to become a Marine? Did I *actually* have that conversation with Darson about her? Did we ever go shopping, have long chats, spend girls' time together?~
Chelsea felt like her head was going to explode but the one thing that was *really* tying knots in her sanity was Rick.
Whatever had gone on with Kim, it was clear that at least Margaret was a different person from having had different experiences, so what did that say about the rock in Chelsea's life?
The whole black quagmire that threatened to swallow her whole and drown her was the uncertainty about not being able to talk to Rick - how could she know what he remembered? How much of that would be same as her own memories and how much would have been different for him, the way it was for his mother? A man who had lost his father young would grow up differently from one who hadn't experienced that, wouldn't he?
There was suddenly a possibility that Rick might perhaps be someone who had changed too, changed from Chelsea's memories of him. Then again, even if he wasn't, she suddenly felt isolated from him by this secrecy. Chelsea hadn't had time to digest the reality of having to keep secrets from Rick or worse, not being able to discuss any of this openly with him. It was a huge issue to her and with any type of issue, small or large, she had become accustomed to being able to rely on Rick and talking things over with him allowed her to dip into the serenity that contact with his soul always brought her. What would happen to that connection now?
Chelsea was a ship adrift and the sight of Eric brought it all home to her in one wave of nauseous realisation. For the first time since she was a child, Chelsea felt the fingers of panic grip at her stomach. "What if he doesn't feel the same in this timeline?" she managed to choke through the huge bunch of flowers that Eric had put into her arms gently, hiding her face from the others as he leaned in for a hug which also protected his reply from them too.
"Excuse me everybody." Said Eric as he took Chelsea back outside into the hall way, "Just have to have a heart to heart with my new daughter in law"he said closing the door behind them. "ok stand there" he said pointing to a spot on the floor." She did so. Eric Dunham suddenly and un-ceremoniously gave her a affectionate clip around the back of the head. "Stop being an idiot." He began to count the facts down on his fingers. "One. The time line has not changed that much, on a mathematical scale its 0.0019 percent. Two everybody in that room are exactly the same as they were before we changed things. Three, this includes your husband to be. He is in every fundamental way the same being. Three.....I mean four. All events pertaining to and building up to this change are the same in practically every way. Everything you did, everything you have done, nothing changed except one thing.
Which leads me to point five. The only thing that may vary from how you remember it, is that Margaret was perhaps a little and I emphasise the word little, bit nicer to you than when you met the first time.....oh and that I'm alive. But don't worry about that, its all taken care of. I'm a professional when it comes to time." he dismissed it with a wave of his hand "We have this great alien thinga-ma-bob in the office. Now my last point....what was that...point six? yes. Right you cant tell anyone!" He smiled "Any question? Oh and yes I've been here for last..." he looked at his watch. "four days."
"Four days??" She rolled her eyes. "I don't understand..... " she ducked as he seemed likely to take a step towards her again. Grinning she just rolled her eyes and realising this time instead of reaching out to pretend to chastise her, he had reached out both arms for a hug which she gratefully slipped safely into and sighed.
"It's a good job you're not just an expert with time, but also with daughters-in-law." she gave him a lop-sided grin and hugged him again.
"I'm a bit of a baby when it comes down to it, aren't i? Good job I found someone as brave, strong and heroic as Rick to keep the scary stuff at bay" she said a little sheepishly.
*Cough* "He takes after his dad" said Eric as he gave Chelsea a hug. He held her in both hands and looked her straight in the eye for a serious moment. "Chelsea I need you to be strong ok? I know its going to be hard for you not to talk to Rick about this stuff. But you can't tell him, not yet. Just be patient. In time he will remember but he has to do it himself through the proper course of urrrmm....time"
"I'll do my best, my *very* best." she promised, taking strength from those Dunham eyes. "He gets quite a bit from his dad, doesn't he?" she smiled.
"Of course he does" he smiled again. "Shall we go back and meet the masses?"
"Yes please!" she said, her smile brightening as she held her head up again. Taking his hand she stepped back towards the door. "Thanks.... " she began and looked Eric in the eyes once more. "Thanks *dad*"
The unlikely temporal aware individuals re-entered the joint quarters of the CMO and CAG, and soon to be the joint quarters of a married couple. The family seemed to be sitting down on sofa's and chairs around the living room coffee table smiling, chatting and exchanging stories. Rank was set aside in this family environment, and it seemed that Mrs Dunham looked on her family with a proud wistful smile. She greeted her husband with a kiss and a hug, and indicated for them to join them, forever playing the mother hen. But in a good way.
Chelsea sat down, *much* more relaxed now, glancing now and then towards Eric and taking deep breaths as the charming family atmosphere soothed her and the charismatic father-in-law-to-be proved by his presence that it really *was* going to be alright.
After a few minutes chatting gently, joining in with the laughter at the anecdotes and jokes, Chelsea stood up and went to the replicator. "You must all be hungry. What shall we eat?" she asked. "Shall I just put a buffet together and we can pick bits?"
Their happy nods and comments of agreement. "I'll Help" said Erica following Chelsea to the replicator. "So how you doing?" she said as they had a moment alone near the main group. It had been a while since they last talked, and when they had Erica had said Rick would always choose career and starfleet over family. Looks like she had been wrong.
"I'm good thank you. It's so good to have everyone together." Chelsea replied, tactfully avoiding the subject of their last conversation.
"Yes it is." Said Erica with a smile looking back at her husband.
"How is Nick doing?" Chelsea asked as they collected together an array of small savoury and vegetable dishes with some salads, some cold meats, an assortment of cheeses and other delicacies from various planets' recipe books.
Placing the items on the large table in the dining area, the sisters-in-law to be then started collecting up jugs of a delicious variety of juices and water, carbonated and still, with and without ice. They then added some milks, Baran Yaks', Terran Cows' and a couple of cafetieres of coffee and some hot water with a selction of teas from all over the universe.
Right in the middle Chelsea placed a huge iced cake that bore the inscription "Congratulations Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham - DS5's New CAG" They stood back, admired the spread, added cutlery, plates, cups and saucers for an old fashioned 'formal' effect and napkins.
Then they invited the family to come over and help themselves, standing back as polite hostesses, allowing the others to go first. Everyone took one look at the cake and stood back to allow Rick to come forward first.
"Happy Promotion Day, Sweetheart." Chelsea smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was saving the more enthusiastic of her congratulatory kisses for when they were alone later.
Off:
Lieutenant Commander
Richard Dunham
CAG
&
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5