[Paradise-IV] SD970311.20 JL "A talk with Cait" Cmdr. C. Blake CMO & LtCmdr. K. Wilkinson M.O.

[Paradise-IV Logs]

<< Backlog before the hospital opening  chaos >>

 

Kat bit her lip as she stood outside Cait's office holding two cups of coffee. She needed to

talk to Cait before word traveled through the grapevine as it were. On one hand her

budding relationship with Jason was incredible in every sense of the word but on the

other she wasn't so sure how it'd be perceived, Jason was a junior officer and more

than likely off limits. Kat knew how Cait felt about fraternization in the workplace, as with on

the Ridge Kat would be completely professional on the job.  

 

"I'm here to see doctor Blake..." she said to one of the staff milling around outside Cait's office.

 

Janet smiled and contacted Cait. “Doctor Blake, Doctor Wilkinson is here to see you.” She listened for a moment. “Doctor Blake says to go right in.”

 

Kat gave Janet a nod "Thank you.." she said with a smile heading into Cait's office.

 

Cait was sitting at her desk going over the budget for the month. She gave Kat a smile. “You have saved my life! Five more minutes of this and I think I would have grabbed a hypo and ran screaming through the wards. Grab a seat and tell me what’s up.”

 

Kat couldn't help but giggle a bit as she handed Cait one of the cups.  "You know you can always call me if you need help." she said

as she settles in the seat carefully in case it was that notorious chair she'd sat in before. Kat bit her lip beginning to blush like an enamored schoolgirl. "Not quite sure where to begin Cait..." she said swallowing hard.  "It's doctor Asburn..... He's a good doctor and is adjusting pretty well so far." she began to explain.  "I have him pulling shifts with me in maternity and helping out in the ER" she continued.

 

“Thanks, Kat. Where did you get this from?” Cait took the cup. “The beginning is usually a good place to start unless you want to start somewhere else and I get to figure out what you mean.”

 

"But what I have to say is more on a personal level." she said. "I know  this isn't......" she said becoming all mixed up .  "What I want to say is Doctor Asburn and I have begun to see one another." she blurted hoping Cait would be happy for her. Cait would already have an idea of how Kat felt about Jason  if she were reading her this was no infatuation Kat's feelings for Jason were genuine. "I promise you any affectionate displays are kept to a minimum while on duty.

 

Cait raised an eyebrow. “That was rather fast wasn’t it?  Aside from that, Starfleet isn’t military. You’re free to see whomever you wish. The only time it gets dicey is if you or Asburn aren’t professional, as in no PDAs or if one is an officer and the other is an NCO. Problem arises and then I have to get involved. Hell, Toby and I became involved when we were still on the Audax. We were married right after we were switching to the VR. That’s when he became XO. We are both extremely careful to keep our professional lives separate from our personal lives. Its not easy and its not perfect but it works for us.”

 

"Hospital cafeteria" she said simply about the cup. "Yes...I admit that it happened rather fast.......and it's been about five years since I lost Thomas and he and I met before I joined starfleet." she told her " in fact he encouraged me to go to the academy." she explained taking a sip of the coffee wincing a bit wishing it were a little sweeter. "I was beginning to think I wouldn't find anyone else to fill the void that Thomas left......as much as lieutenant Reed and I had cared for one another, I knew he wasn't about to settle down and be what I needed." she continued. "There is just something about being with Asburn that feels so right..........and I don't just mean the intimacy." she said blushing a bit sliding her fingers along the side of the cup.

“Nothin’ te be ashamed of, Kat. Most species need that intimacy. Just make sure you take precautions unless you want a little stranger 9months later.” Cait sipped the coffee and shuddered. She really was the biggest coffee snob alive. “How’s Doctor Asburn working out professionally?”

"Actually I'm not really sure I can conceive otherwise there would have been a little Wilkinson/Reed joining the crew of the Ridge a long time ago." she explains. "Was actually something I was thinking about checking into." she added taking another sip of the coffee even if it wasn't the best  it was better than none at all. "As for professionally Doctor Asburn is working out quite well, assisted with a quick delivery and diagnosed a pregnancy and will be doing the prenatal care." she said giving Cait a good report. "I think I surprised him when I had him be the one to deliver while I observed." Personally or professionally she had no complaints at all about him.

 

Cait nodded. “A quick scan will tell you what you need to know in that area. I’m glad  Asburn is working out.  I’d  like to see if he could eventually handle the ER on his own.”

Kat gave Cait a nod. "I'll do my best to help get him there." she said as she finished the coffee. "I'll switch to monitoring obstetrics and concentrate on the ER . "  Kat took another sip of the coffee wincing again, they'd have to remedy the hospital's excuse for coffee soon knowing what a coffee connoisseur Cait was and that Kat had been becoming  in the time she'd known Cait. "Speaking of little strangers that come along in 9 months, how is Rose?" she asked. "As for the other I have done scans and everything appears normal." she said.

 

“Then perhaps Reed was taking precautions.” Cait smiled just thinking of her daughter. “Rose is growing like a weed and has her daddy firmly entwined around her fingers and she’s so bright, even at 3.”

 

Kat shook her head. "No, I'm fairly certain he wasn't as careful as he thought he was." she explains before her thoughts shift to Rose Blake. "Don't most little girls have that?" she asked "But it really doesn't surprise me that she takes after her parents." she said with a smile.

 

Cait laughed. “I sure hope not. The things I did as a kid….” She shuddered. “I don’t know how my parents survived it. I doubt I would.”

 

Kat giggled softly. "I meant about her being bright......I know I drove my parents a little crazy too, getting into things I shouldn't ."she said. "Wow, has it really been three years?" she asked vividly remembering the day she was born.

 

“Hard to believe isn’t it? I can’t really remember what life was like before she came along. She’s such an incredible joy. I’d say we spoil her rotten but she’s not rotten in the least.” Cait took another drink of the coffee and made a face.

 

Kat gave a nod "Yes it is hard to believe." she said watching as Cait made another face. "Sorry about the coffee, I kinda miss being able to just go in your office on the ridge and grab a good cup." she said taking another sip of it herself and wrinkling her nose. "I know it's kind of too soon to tell but I think Asburn may be the one to settle me down....I haven't felt what I feel with him since Thomas." Kat said as she shifted her position in her seat.

 

“Not your fault. Don’t waste what replicator use you have on coffee for me. I truly can’t appreciate it. I’m spoiled and a snob both when it comes to my beverage of choice.” Cait sighs. “I never dreamed I’d be sitting behind a desk and worrying about finances of all things. I should out treating people who need help!” 

 

Kat gave a nod. "I think we got spoiled on the ridge though." she said sipping the coffee one more time. "I never dreamed I'd see duty on a planet instead of a starship." she added setting the cup on Cait's desk. "Anything I can do to help?" she asked. "Aside from what I'm already doing covering OB/Gyn and the ER with Asburn."

 

“I appreciate the offer but I don’t want to over burden you. Those are two busy departments and I’ve got to learn to do this. Problem is, I just don’t know where to find the money that’s needed. If you can think of some fund raising ideas, that would help.”

 

"Hmmm..." Kat hummed in thought tapping her finger on her chin. "How about a banquet?" she suggested. "Bazinga's could possibly cater." she added still thinking it through not that she really had much experience with those sorts of things. "That's just a start but I'll see what else I can come up with." she said.

 

“I guess I need to find out who can even afford to help.” Cait rubbed her face. “I hate all of this, Kat. It gets in the way of the healing.”

 

"I know Cait, that's why I'm offering to help." Kat took one last sip of the coffee even if it wasn't the best it was something. "I'm almost beginning to wish doctor Bowers were here too, I'm sure he'd be able to come up with a few ideas to help you out too." she said.

 

“I do miss Billy an awful lot. I bet he’d say we needed a tractor pull.” Cait smiled as she thought of their collegue.

 

Kat couldn't help but to giggle softly when she thought of Billy, her fondest experience with him being when she helped cure him of the skin rash he'd acquired from wrestling with a lizard. "Wouldn't that be interesting though?" she mused. "Like I said ,I'll see what other ideas I can come up with, maybe even bounce a few off Jason and get his input if that's okay."

 

“It would be.” Cait chuckled softly. “And yes, brainstorm with Jason. Any ideas would help.” She sighed and looked at the mess on her desk. “I need to get back to work before the PADD spawn to fill my office.”

Kat giggled softly giving Cait a nod before carefully getting up from her seat still wary of the one that had a mind of its own on occasion dumping people out onto the floor.  "Will do....I suppose I'd better get back to my office before other PADD spawn migrate there." she said with a smirk grabbing her empty cup and reaching for Cait's  if she was through with it making a mental note to inform the cafeteria staff on what coffee should taste like.

<End Log>

-----Respectfully submitted-------

Cmdr. Caitlin Blake

C.M.O.

Paradise-IV

&

LtCmdr. Katerina Wilkinson

M.O.

Paradise-IV