Unity – Part 17 Fond Farewells
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham
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Arriving at the docking ring with Kim's bags and belongings, Chelsea and Rick finally caught up with the young lady in question who by then was chatting in an animated fashion with a Marine Corporal she had cornered in the waiting area.
Chelsea raised an eyebrow and caught Rick's eye. "Fast worker.... true Dunham blood!" she teased him, remembering their own first meeting.
"She's too young for that sort of thing." said Dunham defensively, glaring at the young Marine Corporal. He sharply clicked his fingers at the marine then pointed for him to be elsewhere. It wasn't often Dunham would pull rank. But in this case he felt justified. The Marine quickly snapped to attention and marched off leaving Kim more than a little annoyed at her uncle. This was going to make an already awkward moment worst for Rick. He hated goodbyes.
Chelsea covered a smile at Rick's defence of his niece. It was so sweet to see him behaving like the protective older brother/stand-in dad. She slipped her fingers between his to calm him and smiled at Kim whose angry face was the image of her uncle's defensive, stressed-out frown.
"Easy you two" Chelsea soothed. "Don't let's have you saying au revoir in a mood with each other..... you'll both regret that within 30 seconds of the Hagnon leaving".
Dunham visibly relaxed his shoulders slumping, he reached out and ruffled her hair with an awkward smile. "You'll do alright kid." It was more of a statement than a question. Kim rolled her eyes, at her uncle, knowing full well he was bad with goodbyes, she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, a tear rolling down one cheek, a tear that matched her uncle's, who to had a lone tear down one cheek. She let go, wiped away one tear and then hugged Chelsea goodbye too.
"Have fun little mischief" Chelsea whispered in Kim's ear as she returned her hug with a huge one of her own, engulfing the young woman and rocking her from side to side with enthusiasm.
".... and hurry home!" she added as she let go.
"Why haven't you been promoted yet Richard?" was the first words from his mother mouth as she emerged from the air lock, not hello or how are you. "Mother" replied Dunham with a sigh and a slight to his tone in greetings.
His mother frowned and waved away the tone of voice with a wave of her hand, she smiled at Chelsea and kissed her on the cheek in greeting, "and why have you two not tied the not yet? I expect more grandchildren soon Chelsea."
"I'm guessing patience isn't a Dunham tendency, well, not in my limited experience so far, but I'm afraid even *Bajorans* take 5 months to produce a baby!" she laughed. "Besides, I proposed to him but he won't have me.... " she teased, smiling sympathetically at Rick who looked as uncomfortable as he always did around his Matriarch.
Chelsea squeezed his fingers again, trying to limit his discomfort by making the interchange as light as she could and when that failed by just gazing adoringly at him.
"If you would've proposed to me, I would've said yes." Said Dunham without thinking, he then kicked himself mentally for saying such a thing in front of his mother whose eyebrows raised at the words. "So you are getting married." she said matter of factly , "Excellent I expect an invitation soon"
Anyway said Captain Dunham picking up Kim in her arms and touching her gently on the nose with the tip of her index finger. "I've got surprise for you she said with a smile. "Were going on a little trip to find your mum and....dad"
Chelsea's mouth fell open and a tear welled in her eye. Two tears from the double whammy. ~He would?~ she thought but didn't have time to let that sink in before the promise Margaret Dunham was making her grand-daughter also hit her emotionally.
~BY THE PROPHETS..... if she's toying with that child over a subject so sensitive as that.......?~ she began to think, immediately defensive. She shot an exploratory glance at Rick and saw the colour had drained from his face and his eyes looked dangerously emotional too.
~He's thinking what I'm thinking.~ Chelsea concluded. ~If she let's Kim down, he'll kill her............ and I'll help him dispose of the body!~
Captain Dunham seemed to chose to ignore the looks from her son and potential daughter in law, she put down Kim, then knelt down in front of her. "Your mother has been working very hard to find your daddy, and she has." she smiled again, "Were taking a little trip to the Klingon Empire"
"Found him?" Chelsea spluttered. "OH! That's wonderful!" She was about to hug Rick, overjoyed at the news when she noticed he didn't look as thrilled as she expected him to. "... erm..... isn't it?" she whispered, deflated.
"But the Klingon's were supposed to be supporting the operation...an operation that was in Breen territory...how the hell did he end up on Qo'noS? I mean the objective was to......" Dunham shut his mouth when his mother gave him a sharp look. "That's classified information Lieutenant Dunham" The captain stood up and placed a hand on Ricks shoulder, "All that matters now is that they are both safe." Rick relaxed a little and smiled "ok." he said softly, if not a little reluctantly.
Chelsea's shoulders relaxed a little too. It was true. If they were alright, both of them, then that *was* the bottom line and a complete miracle for Kim. She turned towards Kim who's face was as white as Rick's had been.
"We have to go now," said Captain Dunham, tapping on an imaginary watch on her wrist. Kim hugged Chelsea again, smiled, wiped the tear from her eye, then hugged her again. On the second hug she whispered a thank you into her ear and smiled again. She then turned and hugged her uncle Rick, promising him she would pass on his hellos to his sister and brother in law.
And as quickly as it started it was over, Captain Dunham held Kim by the hand, as they stood by the airlock waving goodbye. Rick waved goodbye with a smile on his face, his arm around Chelsea's waist.
"That was a surprise!" Chelsea understated the obvious in an incredulous tone, holding onto Rick's free hand.
"Yeh," Dunham replied. He was a bit stuck for words, and had allot on his mind, not only was he so close to his family being reunified, and back together, but in a round about sort of way, he had just had his first talk to his partner about the 'M' word. Marriage. It was a big turning point for him. He felt grown up.
Off:
Lt Richard Dunham
and
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
| Title | Part 17 Fond Farewells | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham | |
| Posted | Sat Jul 03, 2010 @ 1:36pm | |
| Location | Deep Space Five Dry Dock | |
| Timeline | Interlude SD22 |
Arriving at the docking ring with Kim's bags and belongings, Chelsea and Rick finally caught up with the young lady in question who by then was chatting in an animated fashion with a Marine Corporal she had cornered in the waiting area.
Chelsea raised an eyebrow and caught Rick's eye. "Fast worker.... true Dunham blood!" she teased him, remembering their own first meeting.
"She's too young for that sort of thing." said Dunham defensively, glaring at the young Marine Corporal. He sharply clicked his fingers at the marine then pointed for him to be elsewhere. It wasn't often Dunham would pull rank. But in this case he felt justified. The Marine quickly snapped to attention and marched off leaving Kim more than a little annoyed at her uncle. This was going to make an already awkward moment worst for Rick. He hated goodbyes.
Chelsea covered a smile at Rick's defence of his niece. It was so sweet to see him behaving like the protective older brother/stand-in dad. She slipped her fingers between his to calm him and smiled at Kim whose angry face was the image of her uncle's defensive, stressed-out frown.
"Easy you two" Chelsea soothed. "Don't let's have you saying au revoir in a mood with each other..... you'll both regret that within 30 seconds of the Hagnon leaving".
Dunham visibly relaxed his shoulders slumping, he reached out and ruffled her hair with an awkward smile. "You'll do alright kid." It was more of a statement than a question. Kim rolled her eyes, at her uncle, knowing full well he was bad with goodbyes, she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, a tear rolling down one cheek, a tear that matched her uncle's, who to had a lone tear down one cheek. She let go, wiped away one tear and then hugged Chelsea goodbye too.
"Have fun little mischief" Chelsea whispered in Kim's ear as she returned her hug with a huge one of her own, engulfing the young woman and rocking her from side to side with enthusiasm.
".... and hurry home!" she added as she let go.
"Why haven't you been promoted yet Richard?" was the first words from his mother mouth as she emerged from the air lock, not hello or how are you. "Mother" replied Dunham with a sigh and a slight to his tone in greetings.
His mother frowned and waved away the tone of voice with a wave of her hand, she smiled at Chelsea and kissed her on the cheek in greeting, "and why have you two not tied the not yet? I expect more grandchildren soon Chelsea."
"I'm guessing patience isn't a Dunham tendency, well, not in my limited experience so far, but I'm afraid even *Bajorans* take 5 months to produce a baby!" she laughed. "Besides, I proposed to him but he won't have me.... " she teased, smiling sympathetically at Rick who looked as uncomfortable as he always did around his Matriarch.
Chelsea squeezed his fingers again, trying to limit his discomfort by making the interchange as light as she could and when that failed by just gazing adoringly at him.
"If you would've proposed to me, I would've said yes." Said Dunham without thinking, he then kicked himself mentally for saying such a thing in front of his mother whose eyebrows raised at the words. "So you are getting married." she said matter of factly , "Excellent I expect an invitation soon"
Anyway said Captain Dunham picking up Kim in her arms and touching her gently on the nose with the tip of her index finger. "I've got surprise for you she said with a smile. "Were going on a little trip to find your mum and....dad"
Chelsea's mouth fell open and a tear welled in her eye. Two tears from the double whammy. ~He would?~ she thought but didn't have time to let that sink in before the promise Margaret Dunham was making her grand-daughter also hit her emotionally.
~BY THE PROPHETS..... if she's toying with that child over a subject so sensitive as that.......?~ she began to think, immediately defensive. She shot an exploratory glance at Rick and saw the colour had drained from his face and his eyes looked dangerously emotional too.
~He's thinking what I'm thinking.~ Chelsea concluded. ~If she let's Kim down, he'll kill her............ and I'll help him dispose of the body!~
Captain Dunham seemed to chose to ignore the looks from her son and potential daughter in law, she put down Kim, then knelt down in front of her. "Your mother has been working very hard to find your daddy, and she has." she smiled again, "Were taking a little trip to the Klingon Empire"
"Found him?" Chelsea spluttered. "OH! That's wonderful!" She was about to hug Rick, overjoyed at the news when she noticed he didn't look as thrilled as she expected him to. "... erm..... isn't it?" she whispered, deflated.
"But the Klingon's were supposed to be supporting the operation...an operation that was in Breen territory...how the hell did he end up on Qo'noS? I mean the objective was to......" Dunham shut his mouth when his mother gave him a sharp look. "That's classified information Lieutenant Dunham" The captain stood up and placed a hand on Ricks shoulder, "All that matters now is that they are both safe." Rick relaxed a little and smiled "ok." he said softly, if not a little reluctantly.
Chelsea's shoulders relaxed a little too. It was true. If they were alright, both of them, then that *was* the bottom line and a complete miracle for Kim. She turned towards Kim who's face was as white as Rick's had been.
"We have to go now," said Captain Dunham, tapping on an imaginary watch on her wrist. Kim hugged Chelsea again, smiled, wiped the tear from her eye, then hugged her again. On the second hug she whispered a thank you into her ear and smiled again. She then turned and hugged her uncle Rick, promising him she would pass on his hellos to his sister and brother in law.
And as quickly as it started it was over, Captain Dunham held Kim by the hand, as they stood by the airlock waving goodbye. Rick waved goodbye with a smile on his face, his arm around Chelsea's waist.
"That was a surprise!" Chelsea understated the obvious in an incredulous tone, holding onto Rick's free hand.
"Yeh," Dunham replied. He was a bit stuck for words, and had allot on his mind, not only was he so close to his family being reunified, and back together, but in a round about sort of way, he had just had his first talk to his partner about the 'M' word. Marriage. It was a big turning point for him. He felt grown up.
Off:
Lt Richard Dunham
and
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5