CDR Aine Sherlock and LT Melvin Martinson - A Night On The Town, Pt. 1

[Aine Sherlock]

((OOC: This will be a series that runs alongside of the babysitting scene.))

((Forward Observation Lounge (Valhalla), Deck 4, USS Valkyrie-A))

Since becoming parents, little getaways were rare. Very few occasions allowed them the freedom to do something that didn't involve the baby. They always had dinner together, always something Mel cooked. But a night out eating by themselves, that was rare. There weren't any dedicated babysitters on the ship and finding someone who wasn't either on shift or willing to give up their time off seemed rare. But not tonight.

There was some tension from Aine, however. Esme had started walking, or what passed for attempting to walk, but the first words that were actually words and not vague sounds, came out while she wasn't there. It was a big first, but duty called. Sat in Valhalla, sipping wine while waiting for their food, Mel decided to broach the subject with her, hoping to talk it out.

Martinson: I'm not going to tell you to relax. I'm not going to tell you not to worry about it...

Sherlock: Because you know better than that.

He gave her the slightest smile and nod. Long ago he'd learned that she didn't ever like to talk about the things that bothered her. He'd let her know that when things got too much, however, that she was always more than welcome to. And it did happen on occasion, like after Frontier Day. Though that particular time she was quite a bit overwhelmed between everything that happened and finding out she was pregnant.

Martinson: I think this time, you need to talk.

She looked at her glass of wine for a moment before taking a long sip.

Sherlock: Do you think I'm doing good ::beat:: with Esme?

Martinson: Of course. Why would you think you're not?

Sherlock: I feel like, I don't know, like maybe I'm not there enough.

He gave her a look, one that said she was being ridiculous...because she was. They were lucky enough to have him become a reserve officer and a full time stay at home father, but many kids of Starfleet officers had both parents working full time.

Martinson: Where's this coming from? Was it that you weren't there when she said it? ::beat:: Or was it what she said?

She looked around nervously for a second, hand twirling the wine glass as it rested on the table top. She did not want to talk about it, but this also wasn't really work related and she knew, was still learning even, that they had to talk these things through. He watched as she bit her lower lip, something she used to do often when she was nervous but not something he'd noticed her do in some time.

Sherlock: A little bit of both maybe.

Martinson: Well, it could have happened at any time. Could have been when you were home and I was busy teaching a lesson. It just happened to be when it was. ::he paused and watched her for a moment, seeing her nod slightly in agreement:: As for what she said, you don't think there's actually any meaning behind it, do you?

Sherlock: I don't know, maybe.

Martinson: That's ridiculous. You know that right?

Sherlock: Yeah, I know, I know. It's just ::beat:: I just wonder, sometimes, if I'm doing things right. Like you never seem to have doubts. You just take things in stride and it comes naturally to you.

Martinson: That is absolutely not true.

She looked at him curiously. It caught her off-guard, the words he'd said. Since they'd found out she was pregnant, he'd been supremely confident and level headed about anything and everything when it came to Esme.

Sherlock: Since when?

Martinson: Do you  know how many nights, right after she was born, I couldn't sleep so I'd sit and just read articles on parenting?

Sherlock: ::squinting at Mel:: How come you never told me this?

Martinson: ::squinting back:: You do realize you're the one that never wants to talk about your own issues, right?

She flopped back into her chair, mouth slightly agape. Her eyebrows raised at the realization she'd just had.

Sherlock: Wow. We're really bad at this.

Martinson: I don't think we're doing bad at being parents.

Sherlock: No, I mean bad at talking about our problems.

They both stopped and took another long sip of their wine. Aine practically forgot about the original topic, things had shifted quickly. She wondered where this was going, what it meant. It was probably nothing groundbreaking, but, obviously from the topic, not something she really wanted to talk about, which was the problem.

TBC

CDR Aine Sherlock

Diplomatic Officer

U.S.S. Valkyrie-A

R239712AS0