Allow Me

Posted on Sat Sep 23rd, 2017 @ 11:25pm by Captain Brady Dering M.D., PhD & Commander Zoe Eckhardt M.D.
Edited on on Wed Sep 12th, 2018 @ 7:16pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: ZuluBase/Zoe's Quarters
Timeline: 2388/08/17 2330 (August 17 2388 2330)

After some research and tests, Doctors Zoe Eckhardt and Brady Dering were able to diagnose Cadet Initiate Kelly Khan, and a treatment plan was immediately put in place. A cure had been discovered within their research, and treatments were begun immediately.

While it was already in Kelly's personnel records that her mother, Shira Khan, had died while giving birth to her, it was listed only within her mother's records the details of her mother's condition and subsequently her death. She apparently had a stroke, her arteries so badly damaged, that it was considered too late, that nothing could be done but to save the baby within her, and labour had been induced for an early delivery.

Further research revealed that the Khans traveled, did not live a life style that gave Shira access to modern medical care, to have discovered and treated the condition much sooner.

Recently discovered on a colony world, and only a few cases documented, is a rare parasitic disease, also known to a nearby new Federation member race that dealt with the same disease in the 23rd century, when a cure had been discovered, and they had believed the disease to have become extinct. They have now opened all their records on the disease to the Federation, Klingon and Romulan Empires.

The parasite attaches itself to infants only. It then lays dormant until within the early adult years of the host, then revealing itself, causing progressive atherosclerosis-like damage to the host's body.

Further tests on Kelly revealed a genetic component to the disease, one that aided the disease to be passed on from mother to daughter, laying dormant and undetected until shortly before Kelly's first attack.

After a week of a cure anecdote and a positive response, Kelly would be considered no longer in danger, but it would take another three weeks of other types of treatments, therapy, and rest to undo the damage that had been done to her young body.

~~~

It was late. Kelly was resting, and remembering Zoe wanted to talk, Brady had approached her in her office. Zoe, tired after a long day given her pregnancy, asked Brady if he would join her for a nightcap and a chat in her quarters. Brady obliged, and they were on their way.

As they arrived outside Zoe's quarters, Brady found himself stifling a yawn as she keyed in and activated the door to open.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Zoe asked as she saw Brady yawn, "You're tired and I don't want to keep you." she added softly.

"I'm sure." Brady smiled reassuringly. "And besides, after a day like today, I could really use that nightcap." In Brady's mind he wasn't there as a counselor, but as a friend.

"Then come on in." Zoe smiled and gestured towards the replicator, "What can I get you?"

"Chamomile tea.." Brady answered looking around, and then turned to look at her and asked, "How about I get that?" He walked over to her and suggested,"Take a load of your feet, and allow me to do the serving."

Zoe smiled wearily and added "Well in that case, I'll have water." She kicked off her boots and headed to the sofa, collapsing gratefully down on it.

Smiling again, Brady walked over to the replicator, ordered their drinks and then returned with them, handing a glass of water to her before setting his tea down on the coffee table in front of them. He sat on the opposite end of the couch and turned towards her, resting one arm along the back of it. Looking intently at her, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, scared...lonely." Zoe managed a watery smile as she took the water and took a sip.

Lonely... Brady took in her demeanor and frowned. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course." Zoe smiled at her friend, wondering what he was going to ask.

"Is the baby's father around," he asked softly, "and does he know about the baby?"

"No he isn't, and no he doesn't." Zoe replied honestly, her eyes glistening with tears as she replied.

Felling both surprised and concerned, Brady stared at her. "Zoe.." he whispered, and then held out his hand for her to take. The look in her eyes touched him, and wanting to help if he could, wanting to understand, he asked her, "Why?"

"He was an officer on Zulu." Zoe began as she took his hand, "He was transferred in an emergency." she looked down at their hands as she spoke, "Left without a goodbye and a few weeks later I found out that I was pregnant. He hasn't so much as contacted me since he left so I figure he wouldn't be too fussed about the baby." she sighed, "It's better this way."

Unsure at first of what to say, Brady leaned into the couch, resting his head on one hand as his brows came slightly together. "Do you know what sort of emergency it was?" he asked, wondering if maybe the man's lack of communication couldn't be helped.

"Just an urgent transfer as I understand it." Zoe replied, "He was obviously needed elsewhere." she sighed unhappily as she was reminded of how much of herself she had given to Kirk. She had really thought that he was going to be 'the one'.

"I'm sorry." Brady replied softly. It was him now looking down at their hands, his thumb lightly brushing the side of hers. Although he hadn't meant to go there, he found himself admitting, "Zoe, right now.." he paused and shook his head, feeling so damned disappointed in himself, "I'm not in a good place when it comes to giving any sort of advice on personal relationships." He brought his eyes back up to hers, "but I do have an opinion if you're willing to hear it."

"I'd like that." Zoe smiled at him, wondering why he had said what he had about himself, "After all, it's got to be better advice than I gave myself." she added with a defeated shrug.

"I think you should tell him." he said, searching her eyes, knowing she wasn't going to like what he had to say. "If not now, soon."

"And make him feel obliged to come back for the sake of the baby?" Zoe took her hand away, "I don't want him back...not like that." she shook her head and looked close to tears.

Shifting forward, Brady lowered his head at her, "I'm not suggesting you take him back. Hey..." he placed his hand on the side of her face and steered her to look at him, "I'm sorry."

The tears began to spill as Zoe said "I know that telling him is the right thing to do, especially as I'm keeping the baby but I don't want him back if the only reason he comes back is the baby." Her lower lip wobbled and she looked so vulnerable as she finally crumpled against Brady and hugged him whilst she cried.

Brady put his arms around her, and placed a hand on her head as he held her to him. "I'm here for the next seven days..." he said quietly, and paused before saying more as he swallowed hard, a voice within him warning him to be careful, "and I'm here for you."

"Thank you." Zoe replied in a tiny voice, comforted by his arms. She silently said thanks for the fact that such a good friend had her back at a time like this. Finally after the tears began to wane, she said "I'm sorry for falling apart on you like this."

"It's okay." he lightly smiled, and pulled back to wipe her tears away with his thumbs, "We all need a shoulder to lean on from time to time."

"I never thought that I'd get caught out like this." Zoe sniffed, "I was going to have the perfect life...fall in love, get married and then the children were going to come along." she managed a watery smile and added "Serves me right for thinking that way huh?"

"No..." Brady looked at her skeptically, "Tell me you don't really believe that."

Zoe shrugged and said "It's easier than thinking it's just bad luck." she wiped at her face, embarrassed that she had broken down about it all after staying so strong.

Brady frowned. "I'd hate to see you give up on your dreams."

"It's a silly dream anyway." Zoe replied, "The kind of stuff that little girls dream of not grown women who should realise that stuff like that doesn't exist."

"Oh, I beg to differ." Brady then smiled. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Of course." Zoe replied, not sure what he was going to ask but never one to turn down a friend.

Brady placed his hand over hers, and for the fondness he truely felt for her, for the person he believed her to be, he said softly, "While I know your focus will be on the little someone growing inside of you, don't give up on your dreams, Zoe. Try to be opened to the possibility."

"I'd like to say that I won't but we both know that Prince Charming isn't interested in a single mother and someone else's kid." she said with a sigh and then shook her head, "I'm sorry...I'm just really feeling the effects of what's happened right now."

"No apology necessary." Brady raised his eyebrows and looked away from her as he reached for her water, and then handed it to her before reaching for his tea. "Like I said before, I'm not really one to be giving advice on the subject." He lifted the cup to his mouth, "And I'm not doing a very good job on it right now."

"You're doing a fabulous job by just being here." Zoe replied softly as she took the glass and sipped the water, "I had no idea how much I needed to just...talk." she added, setting her glass down and taking his free hand in her own.

Brady took a drink and sat his own cup down, looking over at her. He could see the weariness in her eyes, and so he leaned back into the couch, gesturing for her to join him. "Well, I think I just need to listen... so, allow me."

Without a thought, Zoe shifted so that she could cuddle into his side and rest her head on his shoulder. "You know, I only knew Kirk for a very short period of time but I really thought that I'd fallen for him from the moment we met." she smiled sadly as she continued "Every spare moment off duty we were together and then one day...he was just gone."

Inhaling deeply at the physical connection, Brady squeezed her hand again and closed his eyes as he whispered, "His loss."


End



Lieutenant Commander Zoe Eckhardt
Pregnant and lonely Chief Medical Officer
Starbase Zulu

Lt Commander Brady Dering
Lonely Zulu Fleet Psychiatrist
Temp assign - Magellan Campus