Paul felt awkward as he sat on the tiny stool, hunched over a tiny table, holding a teacup not much larger than a demitasse. Around him sat a variety of dolls and stuffed animals, each with a teacup and saucer in front of them.
"Would you like some more tea, sir?" Laurissa asked Paul.
"Oui, mademoiselle. C'est bon!" Paul said as she decanted the invisible beverage from her tiny teapot into his tiny teacup.
The tea party was momentarily interrupted by a crying baby. "You will 'ave to excuse me, mon cherie, but ze baby eez crying."
Laurissa looked exasperated. The idea of a baby brother had been neat, until she found out just how much attention babies took. "Okay," she said with a huff.
"Don' be like zhat!" Paul chided her. "Een a couple of years, 'e'll be at your tea parties too!" Paul wondered for a moment whether or not he would be there as he walked over to the bassinette holding Daniel. He and Katianna remained close, but there was still a bit of distance between them. He wasn't sure what to make of that. True, she considered him enough of a friend to watch the children while Kara went to Sickbay with a fever, but would there ever be more again?
Had there ever been more to begin with?
Paul picked Daniel up and checked the boy's diaper. "Ah see you 'ave left no nasty suprises for Uncle Paul," he said with a smile. Paul wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Daniel smile back. "You mus' be hungry!"
Paul walked over to the replicator. "Infant formula, formulation 3129-Delta." An infant formula identical in composition to Katianna's breast milk appeared, at precisely the right temperature. Paul cradled Daniel in his arms as he fed the bottle to him. Soon, Daniel was sated, and Paul knew what to do. Eet'appens every time! he thought as he laid the towel over his shoulder.
Placing Daniel so that he faced backward and his head was cradled on Paul's shoulder, Paul began patting the boy's back gently, rocking him back and forth. Finally, a loud BURP came from the tiny baby. "Zhat eez a good boy for Uncle Paul!" Paul said, lavishing praise on the boy for something his mother would most likely have to scold him for fifteen years from now. At least, that was the way Paul had been.
What kind of influence can I have in their lives? Paul thought. I don't want to be just some stranger in their lives, in the shadow of their true father, or the man Katianna truly loves. Just who am I anyway?
He held Daniel up to look at him, and no sooner than Paul removed the towel than Daniel promptly spit up all over him. "Not again!" he groaned. The baby laughed. "Zhat one was deliberate, wasn't it?"
Daniel said--could say--nothing as Katianna entered the room.
As she looked at Paul with Daniel and the mess, then at Laurissa with her little tea party set out, she smiled. "Looks like you've been kept pretty busy." She immediately went and took Daniel.
"Ah, yes, you can say zhat," Paul said as he wiped off the front of his tunic with the towel. "Ze young man's containment field appears to be defective!"
Katianna laughed as she kissed Daniel's cheek. "Yeah, that can happen sometimes," she replied. "Do you want to wash that out? You know you're more than welcome to."
"Ah can't trouble you like zhat!" Paul said. "Ah've 'ad far worse tings on me before." Although, for a moment, he considered the notion. He could remove the outer tunic and stay in his teal inner tunic until the laundry was done. Why Starfleet makes us wear so many layers of clothing in a completely controlled climate I have no idea!
Katianna smiled at his thoughts. "Why don't you take that outer tunic off. I'm sure you'll be more comfortable anyway," she replied. "Anyway, Kara was just being seen when I contacted sickbay, so it being as late as it is, I thought I would take care of dinner. I don't think Kara is going to be up for doing much anyway. She's going to need to rest for at least a day, I think."
Paul gave in and removed the sodden outer tunic. Laurissa, her tea party completely and forever forgotten, rushed out and gave her mom a hug. "Are you sure you wan' to slave over a hot replicator after a 'ard day at work?" Paul asked teasingly.
Katianna smirked. "Actually, I was toying with the idea of all of us going out! That way, when Kara returns, she'll get some peace and quiet and we'll get some food and fun!"
Laurissa cheered and began bouncing up and down. "What did you 'ave in mind?" Paul asked.
"What about that new Pizza Parlore run by those Andorians? I hear they have pretty good pizza anyway. I use to love the stuff when I lived on Earth many years ago."
"Pizza!!!" Laurissa cried. "I want Pizza!"
"Andorian pizza," Paul mused. "Could be interesting! Ah 'ear zhey use some rather non-traditional toppings!"
"That's what I hear," Kat replied with a laugh, "But they also have all the traditional toppings also for the Terrans. What do you like on your pizza?"
"I want cheese! I want cheese!" Laurissa volunteered excitedly.
"I know what you like, little one!" Kat laughed. "Let's hear what Paul likes!"
"Ah fancy mahself a bon vivant!" Paul said. "Ah'll try whatever zhey put on eet! Broccoli, escargot, baked Denebian slime devil--bring eet on!"
"Ewwwwwww!" Laurissa cried with a grimace on her face. "That's disgusting!"
"An' Klingons zhink we're disgusting for not eating our food live!" Paul said. "Don' knock eet until you try eet!"
"G'agh is okay, though I prefer my food not moving," Katianna replied with another laugh. "But if you're hungry enough, or if you happen to be hanging out with Klingons . . . you eat what's there!"
"Yuck!" Laurissa replied. "You ate G'agh?!"
"Yes, I did!" she replied with another laugh. "And if we keep up this converstation we're never going to make it out of here to dinner."
The four of them headed to the pizza parlor. Inside, a number of Andorians could be seen yelling back and forth at each other in their own language as one of them hand-tossed the dough. A piece of dough caught on one of his antennae, which promptly flicked it back onto the work table. The menu did indeed offer a wide variety of traditional Terran toppings and an even wider variety of non-traditional toppings from Earth and everywhere else.
Paul looked over the menu. "Ah fancy mahself an enlightened man, but tripe 'as no business on a pizza! An' neither does escargot! An' certainly not on ze same pizza!"
Katianna laughed as she crinkled her nose. "What do you think, Laurissa?"
Laurissa closed her eyes for a moment to get a sense of what he was talking about and stuck her tongue out making a face. "Yuck! Uncle Paul is right!"
An Andorian came to the counter. "Welcome to Andorelli's," he said. "What can I get you today? Would you like to try our Terran sea urchin, Spam, and Velveeta pizza tonight?"
"How about your original cheese pizza - Mozzarella cheese please," she replied as she looked down at Laurissa's smiling face. She knew her daughter loved her cheese pizza. "Is that all right with you, Paul? It's Laurissa's favorite."
Looking at some of the other alternatives, Paul agreed. "Yes. Ze original cheese pizza will do just fine!"
The Andorian looked a bit confused and upset, then yelled something back to the kitchen in his own language. "It'll be up in about 30 minutes. What kind of drinks can I get you? Ginger ale, tomato juice, Vulcan pek'lah tea, or perhaps a nice sardine milkshake?"
Kat raised an eyebrow at the mention of the sardine milkshake. If she were in her feline form it would probably appeal to her, but at the moment, it definitely did not sound good! But she never lost her smile. "I think I'd like a Tularian Fruit Punch."
"Me too!!" Laurissa cried immediately.
"Make that two," Katianna amended.
"Ah'll 'ave ze same," Paul said. The Andorian nodded, relieved that at least this batch of pink-skins was willing to try something a little different.
Katianna picking up on the thoughts of the Andorian suppressed a laugh as she began pushing the stroller over to a table. Daniel was awake and watching everything around him with fascination.
"How's this for a spot?" she asked.
It was close to the window so they could look at the people walking around the Promenade, but wasn't a cramped space either. There was plenty of room for the stroller and for the threesome to sit.
An Andorian in a Starfleet captain's uniform entered the restaurant, spoke briefly to the proprietor, and took the seat behind the family. Paul was struck by the fact that this Andorian was completely bald, lacking the white hair that normally typified his species.
"Whose that?" Laurissa asked innocently as she noticed the Andorian Paul was looking at. She then gazed at Paul and Katianna. "He's in Starfleet like you guys! Do you know him?"
Katianna smiled as she took a peek. "I don't know him, honey. But we can't possibly know everyone in Starfleet!"
"Why?" she asked.
"Because zhere are thousands of people een Starfleet, mon cherie! Zhere are thousands of Starfleet people on zhis station alone! But an Andorian captain eez a rare ting, indeed."
"He's a Captain?" Laurissa asked with wide eyes, "Like Captain Mallory?"
"Yes, he apparently is," Paul said. Suddenly he noticed someone standing over the table.
"Good evening, Lieutenant. I couldn't help but overhear your family and thought I'd introduce myself. I am Captain Araxus. I'm on assignment from Starfleet Command to the station for the next few weeks.
"Welcome, Captain," Katianna smiled. "I'm Commander Katianna Nadira. This is my daughter Laurissa - The inquisitive one." Katianna extended her hand in greeting and laughed gently.
Araxus chuckled as he took Katianna's hand with a nod to Paul. Then, kneeling down to Laurissa's level: "May you never lose your inquisitiveness, little one. I wish more people would ask more questions about more things!"
"I won't lose it. I promise!" she replied, then was quiet for a moment. "You're a good person," she smiled. "I like you!"
"That says a lot if you have Laurissa's stamp of approval!" Katianna replied, her green eyes sparkling.
Araxus smiled. "And she has mine!" he said, placing his hand on Laurissa's head. "It looks like your order is ready. Cheese. How...plain," he said as he returned to his table, the plomeek/pepperoni/targ/octopus pizza awaiting him.
"I like cheese pizza!" Laurissa said a bit put off, but not liking the Andorian Captain any less.
"Well, when you get older you might start trying other things on your pizza," Katianna replied.
"Nuh-uhh!" she replied.
Katianna laughed.
Paul laughed as well. "Eet eez okay," Paul said. "'E eez just teasing you! Andorians can and do eat many tings other races cannot, but they don't really tink of anyone less because of eet. Enjoy your cheese pizza, little one!" he reassured her. Inwardly, he was reassuring himself--Paul wouldn't eat many of the strange combinations except in a life or death situation.
Araxus, seated at the next booth, smiled.
As if suddenly sensing it for herself, Laurissa smiled and nodded, quickly picking up her piece of pizza and taking a bite.
After their pizza dinner, Kat, Paul and Laurissa, pushing Daniel's stroller, walked around the Promenade for awhile, window-shopping a bit. They stopped briefly in on Kassia's shop, though she wasn't there. Danni treated Laurissa to a special crystal that made music when you held it. As they continued to walk they even stopped at Harry's for Sundaes. Daniel began nodding off just as they returned back to their quarters. As the door slid open, she could feel Kara's presence. Not seeing the woman in the main room, she checked in her bedroom. Kara was asleep. She still didn't look well, Katianna thought. The full night of rest would do her good.
"Well, Laurissa, time for me to get you and your brother to bed," she said as she looked at her daughter and her sleeping son.
"But I don't want to go to sleep!" Laurissa cried softly. She knew Kara was back and still not well. She had picked it up from her mom.
"Honey, its late . . . and you do have to get up early! Come on, I'll make sure to tuck you in."
"I want Uncle Paul to read to me!" she insisted.
Katianna looked at Paul and raised her brow, silently asking him if he wanted to oblige.
Paul nodded eagerly and retreated to Laurissa's bedroom. It would be the 14th time Laurissa had heard the story about the little Vulcan boy and his sehlat, but Paul never tired of reading it to her any more than Laurissa of hearing it. Soon, the little girl was fast asleep. Paul returned to the living room. "She fell asleep before Ah finished tonight!" he said quietly.
"That's good," Katianna replied. "Daniel was so asleep he didn't stir as I changed him and put him into his crib . . . I guess now that the kids are down, its just us," she replied with a smirk.
"An' what do you propose to do about zhis situation?" Paul asked with a smile.
Katianna's smirk grew as her eyebrows raised. She then allowed her arms to encircle his neck. "Oh, I can think of several things . . ."
"But are you tinking of zhem on your own or jus' reading mah own mind?" Paul asked as he placed his arms around her waist.
"You're a very bad, bad, bad, bad boy!" Katianna laughed softly as she read his mind and kissed him passionately.
"An' 'ow do you propose to reform me, Madame Nadira?"
"Who said anything about reforming?" she replied with a wicked smirked as she began pulled at his uniform. Pulling it off and at the same time guiding him to her room and to her bed.
Paul, of course, yielded to his punishment, and returned some of his own as he began removing Katianna's clothing.
Katianna lay in Paul's arms almost purring with delight as she gazed into his eyes as she caressed his face. "Thank you . . ."
Paul lay covered in sweat and panting for breath. "Any time, mon cherie, any time!" he whispered to her.
"You've helped me banish some pretty bad memories," she continued as she tenderly kissed his lips. "Of course, this is the best way to do it!" she giggled.
"You've been a very bed, bed, bed, bed, bed girl!" Paul said, chuckling back. "Ah am glad zhat I could 'elp put zhese tings to rest for you," he said, more seriously.
She cuddled up to him further. "Care to stay for breakfast?" she asked.
"Why not? We've already 'ad dinner, dessert, and ze midnight snack!"
Katianna laughed softly. "That we have!" she replied. "Who knows . . . maybe another middle of the night snack might be on offer! That is, if youo get hungry again . . ." She raised herself up enough to look into his eyes. Her green eyes glittered in the semi-darkness.
"Ah am always hungry!" Paul said with a grin as he looked into her eyes. "Bring eet on!"
Katianna bit her lower lip seductively. "Sure you're ready?" she asked playfully.
Paul said not a word as he answered her in the most effective and demonstrative way possible.
Katianna responded with abandon as they melted together and became one thought, one heart, one desire . . .