Growing Pains

Jayme and Nathan had just arrived back on base from Serenity where they worked their shift at Paladin Medical. Jayme was still in uniform but resting on the couch when the door bell rang. Nathan who was nearest in the kitchen was starting dinner answered, and Jayme heard him greeting, "Colonel Jackson, welcome."

Jayme pulled herself to her feet and waited for her senior officer to enter the living room. "Sir." She said, then added, "have a seat sir." She watched him take a seat and then returned to her own. "What a surprise."

Nathan stepped out of the kitchen and sat on the arm of a nearby chair and asked, "care to stay for dinner?" He saw the colonel think about it and then saw him nod affirmative, "if its no trouble."

The colonel stood and walked over and handed Jayme an old fashioned envelope with parchment sheets in it. She opened it while he took his seat beside her. She read the orders within and then went back and re-read it..."Sir, this is quit an honor--but I'm going to refuse. I'm scheduled to take my physician boards very soon and I am only prepared to run my own unit."

"This would be a promotion to Colonel for you! You would be given a staff to help you manage the base, you can still take your boards...and you've been doing the job now for six months. You could promote your Lt. to Captain to take over your day to day operations of the Medical Response Unit."

"Sir, I know General Tarik had this as a tenative plan should I have survived the war and would push me to take this position; but we are not on an active war footing, the base according to this paper is going to triple to quadruple in size and I'm just not interested in being base CO."

His dark eyes locked with mine and he pursed his lips and shook his head. He looked over to Dr. Fletcher, "will you talk to her about this?" Nathan smiled and shook his head, "no, its her career and I understand why she has refused. She hasn't enjoyed this six months--she wants to run her own unit and thats that." Nathan heard a beep in the other room and stood, "Dinner will be ready in just a few moments."

"Colonel, why don't you return to base and take on this challenge. Unless you are really happy being at Starfleet HQ pushing papers." Jayme said working her way out of the chair to go help Nathan set the table.

*Four more months of this and then she would be able to move more freely...* She left the room and set the table while Nathan pulled out a poached fish, grilled vegies, salad, and a bottle of wine. Jayme returned to the kitchen and programmed a fruit punch drink she loved for her dinner. "Dinner's on." They all moved to the table and ate and talked about this and that. After dinner Jayme returned to the living room and put her feet up and watched the guys clear the table.

Both carried in glasses of wine and took seats in the living room. "I'm sorry you made this trip just to be turned down. I'm just not prepared to take over this base. I guess if it was an order by Starfleet command then I'd have to do it--but its not. Please don't go back and tell them that is what it would take to get this done."

"When would all of these changes occur?" Nathan asked.

Jackson pursed his lips and then said, "starfleet corps of engineers and building teams will be here on the 3rd of January. New troops would be arriving three to five months after that. There are some facility changes that would need to be done, more housing, more buildings for services, and flight ops, and training centers." He took a sip of his wine and then looked at Jayme, and said, "we've taken your reguests for facility changes and put them in motion and they will occur immediately. When do you plan to announce the changes?"

"Having a base wide New Years Eve party and plan to announce promotions and changes. You are invited to the event. Maybe by then you will take me up on my idea of you taking 'command of the base.'" Jayme stood and took her glass to the kitchen area and got a refil and stood there at the counter her hand resting on her abdomen trying to sooth the kicking of the baby. She had her eyes closed and concentrated on her breathing and felt Nathan and on hers. "Whats up?" He asked kissing her temple.

"Just tired, and the baby is all over the place. I should just go sit down and put my feet back up." She looked up into his dark smoky eyes and winked.

"Bed would be better. Enjoy your juice and I'll go run the colonel off."

Nathan left the room and she could hear the two men talking quietly and then saw the Colonel walk into the kitchen, "Jayme, its late and I should be heading over to Temp housing for the night. Maybe we can talk tomorrow or sit together at the party. Night." He left and Jayme walked back to their bedroom and stripped and jumped into the shower and then sat on their bed. Nathan entered and with tricorder in hand scanned her and shook his head. He readied a hypo with an agent to help east the braxton hicks contractions and help Jayme relax. "I'm asking you to work out of here tomorrow...and not to go swimming in the morning."

"I won't do anything--but expect you to check me out in the morning and then we can decide on what I should do. Please?" she asked.

"Ok, thats fair." He went and showered and when he returned he noticed she was alseep and so he turned out the lights and crawled into bed.