Family Visits
Pike couldn't believe six weeks had gone by since that weekend supply run. It seemed a little easier since he and Jim were talking daily, either by written, voice, or video comm. Jim sounded happy to hear from him. He'd also just received word that Admiral Archer approved his change in position, and he was now running Starfleet Academy. He figured it was about time to contact his sister Dierdre, and tell her about all the changes in his life in recent months. She hated it when she's out of the loop for too long.
Dierdre's daughter Jackie was going to see her grandparents over the weekend so Pike went to see his sister Saturday Night. She insisted on making meatloaf, his favorite. He brought the wine, her favorite.
"How's my favorite brother?", Dee asked as Chris cut the meatloaf.
"I'm your only brother." He put a slice on her plate.
"You're always arguing semantics. Sure sign you spend way too much time with Starfleet."
"Mmmmhmm" Pike poured the wine as they both sat to eat.
Dee couldn't help but wonder what made him come across town for dinner, he hadn't seen her much since the Narada, "What brings you out here?"
He decided to go with the professional change first, "Archer approved my transfer. You're looking at the new Superintendent of Starfleet Academy."
Dee smiled, "Congratulations Chris. They should have given you that job right from the start. You were doing all the work anyway."
He laughed, "That's true. Barnett's had me doing his job for years."
"Glad Archer finally saw that. It was cruel to put you in command of the Enterprise."
"Jim has it under control."
"That's good", Dee paused to finish her dinner, "How's she doing?"
He hesitated before answering, "Really well."
Deirdre knew her brother well enough to know that kind of marked hesitation was a signal there was something there he wasn't telling her. She noticed it the first time he'd had a fight with her father, Heston Prescott. Chris and Heston never got along. That was something Dee never understood, especially because she always got along with Chris's dad, Charlie. "What aren't you telling me?"
She had him again, "We're seeing each other."
Dee almost spit out her wine, "She's half your age! And your friend's daughter."
"Yeah...Dee I know."
"And you're her commanding officer."
"I was."
"Jesus Chris, you two could shoot your careers to hell with this." She sounded like his mother.
"I know." He sounded like a kid sent to the principal's office.
"Sex really worth it?"
Pike glared at her, "It's not just sex."
"What is it then?" Her tone matched his glare.
"I think...I'm in love with her."
She put her glass down, the only other person she'd ever heard him talk like that about was Janeese. When her brother fell for a woman it was hard and completely. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Help me clean this up", she needed time to process all of this. Washing the dinner dishes would let the two of them have a few minutes to be somewhat distracted and keep her from asking questions.
Over the next few hours, they finished the bottle of wine and talked about Jim. When Chris left her house, Dee was confidant that while it may have been a bottle of Saurian Brandy that brought them together, Chris was happy. In fact, he may be happier than he was in a long time. She couldn't wait to meet the girl that made him smile like that, just by talking about her.
Dierdre's daughter Jackie was going to see her grandparents over the weekend so Pike went to see his sister Saturday Night. She insisted on making meatloaf, his favorite. He brought the wine, her favorite.
"How's my favorite brother?", Dee asked as Chris cut the meatloaf.
"I'm your only brother." He put a slice on her plate.
"You're always arguing semantics. Sure sign you spend way too much time with Starfleet."
"Mmmmhmm" Pike poured the wine as they both sat to eat.
Dee couldn't help but wonder what made him come across town for dinner, he hadn't seen her much since the Narada, "What brings you out here?"
He decided to go with the professional change first, "Archer approved my transfer. You're looking at the new Superintendent of Starfleet Academy."
Dee smiled, "Congratulations Chris. They should have given you that job right from the start. You were doing all the work anyway."
He laughed, "That's true. Barnett's had me doing his job for years."
"Glad Archer finally saw that. It was cruel to put you in command of the Enterprise."
"Jim has it under control."
"That's good", Dee paused to finish her dinner, "How's she doing?"
He hesitated before answering, "Really well."
Deirdre knew her brother well enough to know that kind of marked hesitation was a signal there was something there he wasn't telling her. She noticed it the first time he'd had a fight with her father, Heston Prescott. Chris and Heston never got along. That was something Dee never understood, especially because she always got along with Chris's dad, Charlie. "What aren't you telling me?"
She had him again, "We're seeing each other."
Dee almost spit out her wine, "She's half your age! And your friend's daughter."
"Yeah...Dee I know."
"And you're her commanding officer."
"I was."
"Jesus Chris, you two could shoot your careers to hell with this." She sounded like his mother.
"I know." He sounded like a kid sent to the principal's office.
"Sex really worth it?"
Pike glared at her, "It's not just sex."
"What is it then?" Her tone matched his glare.
"I think...I'm in love with her."
She put her glass down, the only other person she'd ever heard him talk like that about was Janeese. When her brother fell for a woman it was hard and completely. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Help me clean this up", she needed time to process all of this. Washing the dinner dishes would let the two of them have a few minutes to be somewhat distracted and keep her from asking questions.
Over the next few hours, they finished the bottle of wine and talked about Jim. When Chris left her house, Dee was confidant that while it may have been a bottle of Saurian Brandy that brought them together, Chris was happy. In fact, he may be happier than he was in a long time. She couldn't wait to meet the girl that made him smile like that, just by talking about her.