[Enterprise] USS Enterprise 240805.31, Cmdr Carrie Roberts, XO, Cmdr Delenna Pierce-T`Sorach, CMO, Joshua Pierce T`Sorach, Civilian

[Swansong]

=/\=*****Personal Log*****=/\=
Commander Carrie Roberts, XO
Commander Delenna Pierce-T`Sorach, CMO
Joshua Pierce T`Sorach, Civilian
USS Enterprise
240805.31

Shuttlebay One>

Staring out the viewport of the shuttlecraft Cygnus, Delenna watched the familiar shadow of the Enterprise emerge from the blackness of space.  A quiver of apprehension shuddered through her momentarily as she considered how many changes may have occurred aboard in the time since she'd left on medical leave, but it quickly was enveloped in a much larger sense of belonging. Being CMO of the Enterprise was a goal she'd worked her entire life to achieve, and had been devastated when a medical leave forced her to remain behind.

Still, this medical leave didn't come without a benefit; and she bundled her #1 benefit into a snuggli slung across her chest as the shuttle touched down in what she remembered to be shuttle bay one.  Joshua Pierce, or "JP" as she affectionately called him when she was certain no one was listening, squirmed slightly in the transition from the shuttle safety seat.  The pilot had commed ahead and to notify Enterprise of the Cygnus' expected ETA.  By the time the hydraulics opened the rear shuttle bay door, both mother and baby were ready to disembark onto the next chapter in their lives.

Once the baby was safely tucked away in the hammock-like sling across her tummy, she slung the ever-present medkit and both travel bags onto a shoulder. "Thanks, LeighAnne," she called to the pilot, and stepped out into the now pressurized bay to whatever, or whomever was waiting.

After talking with Jason, Carrie ran as fast as she could to shuttle bay one and had spent the last 20 minutes pacing back and forth anxiously.  She could not believe that Delenna was finally back.  The COMM from the shuttle hadn't said anything about number of passengers so Carrie wasn't sure who else was getting off the shuttle.  The last time they had spoke Delenna was still pregnant and on bed rest.  Carrie hoped that her return meant all was well and that there was a new baby Pierce in the world.

With a familiar smirk, Delenna watched Carrie pacing the shuttle bay, noticing that Carrie hadn't yet spotted she and the baby standing just behind the shuttle.  Formally, Carrie's long time friend announced "Commander Delenna Pierce-T`Sorach, CMO and Joshua Pierce T`Sorach, Civilian, request permission to come aboard, Commander," then waited to see how so much time apart would affect their relationship.

"AHHHHHHH!" Carrie let out an excited scream and quickly ran toward her friend, totally ignoring professional formalities for now. "Delenna!!!! And this must be .. Joshua? Oh My Gosh it's so great to have you back!"  She hugged her friend gently as to not squeeze baby Joshua.

The new mother stiffened a bit at the scream, wondering how it would affect the baby, who started squirming in the snuggli again, but as Carrie's arms enveloped them both, all she could do was relax and enjoy the moment as she hugged her friend also. It wasn't until the two women pulled apart that Joshua began to whimper, which turned into a full blown cry.

"Oh, Carrie, it's so good to see you," she greeted, sliding a hand down Carrie's arm on its way to remove the baby from the snuggli and hold him over her own left shoulder. "There, there," she soothed him calmly while rubbing his back and  bouncing rhythmically on her toes. "Joshua's glad to see you too, I'm sure. He's just had a bit of a long trip." She continued to bounce and rub while questions kept flooding the shuttle bay one after the other. "How've you been? How's Jason? Oh, my goodness, the twins...they must be walking by now! How are they doing? What about Nicky?  Why's the Enterprise all the way out in the Beta Quadrant?" Another squirm yanked her attention from Carrie to the baby.  She needed to reposition him more comfortably on her shoulder, giving her friend a word in edgewise.

 "One question at a time hon, I've got many for you too but first let's get out of the shuttle bay and get you and Joshua settled." She grabbed Delenna's bags that she wasn't carrying already and headed toward the turbo lift. "He is adorable by the way." She said as she looked over at her best friend's son.  "Now, as to your questions, " they stepped into the lift and called for sickbay. "Jason and I as well as Nicky and the twins have been good.  We just enjoyed some R&R before leaving for deployment in the Delta Quadrant."  Carrie decided not to mention the mirror universe thing yet hoping Jason would be the one to tell her their mirrors had escaped.  "The twins haven't started walking but I have seen then crawl a little." She decided to keep things happy and not get upset that she didn't even know what development stage her son and daughter were in because she had been away from them for so long.  "The beta Quadrant is just the shortest route to the DQ where we've been sent to explore a bit more."

Nodding, she followed in Carrie's wake, uneasily accepting that the Enterprise's First Officer was carrying her bags, instead of having them beamed to her quarters once they'd been assigned. (Carrie wouldn't have it any other way, and it was useless to argue.) "I'm glad your family are doing so well Carrie," she responded while stepping into the lift behind her, wondering where her new quarters would be. Delenna had been a tad worried about the Roberts' when she'd left the ship so long ago, but also had issues of her own to keep her occupied. Cautiously, she changed the subject.   "Oh, so we're going on an exploratory mission to the delta quadrant?" That sounded rather odd, after all, we're in the midst of a war...

 "Actually I got that wrong, I just realized the real CMO quarters is on Deck 5… are you okay with that? It's got a lot more space, enough for a second room for this one." She said with a smile as she paused the lift letting Delenna decide if she wanted her old quarters or the CMO's quarters, both were available.

Considering this for a moment, Delenna really wanted her former quarters, twelve steps  from sickbay's main doors, but had to consider the baby's needs first.  "Joshua and I will be fine, wherever you choose to tuck us away, Ma'am," she said formally, in deference to her friend's posting as Executive Officer, "but the CMO's quarters will be better for Joshua, if they're available?"

Carrie smiled softly, it was a little weird being Delenna's best friend and XO at the same time.  "Yes they are available, Deck 5 please." She said as she reactivated the lift and they headed for the same deck Carrie, Jason, Nicky and the twins lived on. 

Smiling, Delenna was glad she'd be in regular sized officer's quarters, and not the huge quarters that Jav had modified for them to live in as a family; there were too many ghosts there, none with which she'd care to share company. Then suddenly, the turbolift doors opened, and she just stared down that familiar hallway, remembering. Joshua squirmed then again and she switched him to the other shoulder before finally exiting the lift to take another of many steps down memory lane. "This will be nice" she commented, shaking the sudden chill.   "You'll  be living just down the hall."

 "Exactly." She sighed a little because Delenna seemed  a little uncomfortable.  She hadn't asked about Jav yet because she wasn't really sure what to say, she didn't know if they were still together or not.  When the reached the door to Delenna and Joshua's new quarters Carrie decided to let them get settled.  "I'll drop these inside and let you guys get settled then I'll come by for a chit chat session? I'll bring the twins." Carrie quickly dropped Delenna's bags inside in the living room and headed back to the door giving her friend another hug and Joshua a little kiss.  "Give me a shout when your settled okay?"

Overwhelmed in the moment, Delenna heard "...when you're settled, okay?" and turned her attention once more to Carrie, realizing the meet and greet was over. "Of course, you must have 100 other things to do. Thanks, Carrie," she whispered, pulling into and then away from the hug, careful not to squish the baby between them. "I'll tap you later," she said.