The Right Thing
Chloe sat on the observation deck, staring blankly at the captivatingly beautiful warping of reality that occurred when the ship was in FTL. She laughed exhaustedly when she remembered Eli trying to explain the phenomena to her. He gave all of these weird analogies that she didn’t understand, leaving her more confused than she was before she even asked the question. But Rush stepped in. He told her, very simply, that Destiny warps the spacetime outside of the craft to allow the ship to move faster than light. She understood that explanation. He said the right thing.
But who could say the right thing now, at a time like this? Who would tell her everything would be alright?
Her hand lay warmly on her stomach; she was still overwhelmed by the fact that there was a child in there. The child wasn’t conceived out of love - it was conceived as a science experiment. In most circumstances, that would breed resentment and disgust. But it didn’t. It was, after all, hers. But it was also his. She couldn’t revile something that was made up of them, regardless of how it came about. It was theirs.
It was hard getting out of the infirmary. T.J. insisted that Chloe tell her what was going on, but she couldn’t. She would have to eventually, of course, but there was someone else who needed to know first.
He entered the room quietly and sat down beside her. He was calm yet clearly determined that she should speak first.
She didn’t know how to say it, so she reached over and grabbed his hand; she placed it on her tummy and laid her hand on his. In reply, he put his free arm around her.
“Have you told anyone?” he asked. He wasn’t upset; instead, he remained calm, his expression saturated with tenderness.
“I thought we deserved this moment before all hell breaks loose,” she said, offering him a small smile.
They sat in reflective silence for a moment, but Rush spoke up.
“What do you think he’ll be like?”
“He’ll be Scottish, for starters, since we’re both Scottish,” she said smiling. “That’s a given. He’ll have my eyes and your temper, but we’ll love him anyway,” she paused thoughtfully. “The baby might be a girl, though; still, the rest of it holds true either way.”
“I suppose the proper thing to do now would be to make an honest woman out of you,” he said; he talked so seriously, but his jesting was ill-disguised.
“I’m already an honest woman. We’d have to sleep together so I can be dishonest, before you can make an honest woman out of me.”
He bit his tongue, fighting the reply that formed immediately in his head.
She smiled and looked up at him with those pale blue eyes; a cheeky sparkle was clearly behind them.
“We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?”
She meant in general and he knew it. He squeezed her tighter as he gazed ahead.
“For once, I think we will.”
Chloe smiled broader as she nuzzled into him. Once again, he said the exactly right thing. She could always count on him for that.
But who could say the right thing now, at a time like this? Who would tell her everything would be alright?
Her hand lay warmly on her stomach; she was still overwhelmed by the fact that there was a child in there. The child wasn’t conceived out of love - it was conceived as a science experiment. In most circumstances, that would breed resentment and disgust. But it didn’t. It was, after all, hers. But it was also his. She couldn’t revile something that was made up of them, regardless of how it came about. It was theirs.
It was hard getting out of the infirmary. T.J. insisted that Chloe tell her what was going on, but she couldn’t. She would have to eventually, of course, but there was someone else who needed to know first.
He entered the room quietly and sat down beside her. He was calm yet clearly determined that she should speak first.
She didn’t know how to say it, so she reached over and grabbed his hand; she placed it on her tummy and laid her hand on his. In reply, he put his free arm around her.
“Have you told anyone?” he asked. He wasn’t upset; instead, he remained calm, his expression saturated with tenderness.
“I thought we deserved this moment before all hell breaks loose,” she said, offering him a small smile.
They sat in reflective silence for a moment, but Rush spoke up.
“What do you think he’ll be like?”
“He’ll be Scottish, for starters, since we’re both Scottish,” she said smiling. “That’s a given. He’ll have my eyes and your temper, but we’ll love him anyway,” she paused thoughtfully. “The baby might be a girl, though; still, the rest of it holds true either way.”
“I suppose the proper thing to do now would be to make an honest woman out of you,” he said; he talked so seriously, but his jesting was ill-disguised.
“I’m already an honest woman. We’d have to sleep together so I can be dishonest, before you can make an honest woman out of me.”
He bit his tongue, fighting the reply that formed immediately in his head.
She smiled and looked up at him with those pale blue eyes; a cheeky sparkle was clearly behind them.
“We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?”
She meant in general and he knew it. He squeezed her tighter as he gazed ahead.
“For once, I think we will.”
Chloe smiled broader as she nuzzled into him. Once again, he said the exactly right thing. She could always count on him for that.