<USS Avalon> "Checking In"

"Checking In" 
Elissabeth Marksbury and Melanie Redgrave

The ordinarily friendly chime of the door was excruciatingly loud and the 
throbbing pain behind Elissabeth's eyes was made complete with a wave of nausea 
from the whole ordeal. She'd taken the last of Cazook's painkillers, but 
combined with the vivid dreams and the fact she'd stayed up the rest of the 
night attempting to salvage her relationship with Bryce, they weren't helping. 

In fact, so self-absorbed has she been, it took her a moment to realize that 
the loud sound was the door chiming and that it required an answer. Once she 
gave one, Melanie's bright smile filled her office.

"Just thought I'd stop by since I was.." Melanie bounded into the room in quiet 
the cheerful mood, but stopped short at the sight of her friend as she sat 
behind her desk. Walking over Melanie planted herself on the edge of 
Elissabeth's desk, reached out and with her finger under her friend's chin made 
the young woman look up at her. "What's wrong?" 

"Several day headache compounded by no sleep," she answered honestly and 
quietly, but then dismissed it with a slight wave of her hand. "I see you're 
adjusting to the 'news' rather well." Elissabeth offered a small smile.

Melanie smiled despite her concern for her friend. "Starting too. I got a 
little help on the surface, and now that Elijah's finally coming to terms with 
it, I think all will be well." Taking a deep breath she added, "Do you think 
you and Bryce might be up for another wedding?"

"I don't think that after last night we're anywhere close to - " Elissabeth 
chuckled, "Oh. You meant you and Elijah?" Smiling, she added, "Congratulations, 
Melanie, that's wonderful." She stood and offered a hug to her friend. 

After returning the hug and showing Elissabeth the ring, Melanie held her 
friend at arms length. "What happened last night?"

She properly 'ooh'ed and 'aww'ed over Melanie's ring. It truly was beautiful. 
"A lot of things I'd rather forget." Elissabeth moved over to the replicator 
and ordered them both English Breakfast, then gestured her friend to the sofa. 

Melanie sat on the sofa next to Elissabeth, gratefully taking the tea. She knew 
her friend wasn't much of a talker. Actually getting Elissabeth to talk 
sometimes seemed like pulling teeth, but in the end when she was ready she 
opened up. "I thought you'd had it this time. What did he do?"


"Actually, I think this one was my fault," she said, taking a sip.

"What to tell me about it?" Melanie asked carefully. "You know I'm always 
willing to listen. Heaven knows you've listened to me and my issues enough."

"No, I don't think so. This is your day with your good news. Tell me what 
happened? I take it he's okay with your news?" 

Melanie knew when to allow the subject to be changed, but she also knew when 
she would be able to change it back. "It freaked him out to be honest. We've 
been a little distant since I told him, but we've worked it out. He was 
actually planning ask me to marry him long before we knew about the baby."

"I knew he wouldn't let you down. I was so excited to see his promotion." 

"He didn't even tell me about it." Melanie sipped her tea and rolled her eyes. 
"I found out when I kissed him and felt the extra pip. Why are men so 
complicated?"

"That's an excellent question. Why is it they think they have to be the ones 
doing the protecting?" 

Melanie nodded in understanding. "They still act as if they have to protect us 
from all the evil in the world even though we have the trained and common sense 
to do it ourselves. I admit it's nice once in a while but sometimes it really 
pisses me off. I'm really hoping Eli doesn't turn into one of those dads who 
follow me around with a glass of milk and a pillow to fall on."

Chuckling, "I've seen you pissed off and I'm not sure Eli could handle you."

"And just think, now I have the hormones to blame." Melanie laughed even though 
the memory of her run in with Elissabeth made her blush. "Couldn't Bryce handle 
a real woman or do solicitors really prefer to keep company with blow up 
dolls?" 

Elissabeth's eyes actually flashed in anger, though she tried to bite back her 
response. "Please don't say things like that," she replied, standing and 
placing her cup on her desk.

Melanie bit back a smile. "You still care about him other wise you wouldn't 
have gotten mad at what I said. So why do you look as if it's hopeless? Doesn't 
he still care for you?"

"Of course I still care for him. I love him. It's why I went back and made 
things right." 

"But?" 

"But nothing. I think we're going to be okay."

"I'm glad to hear it." Melanie smiled genuinely. "I liked the way he made you 
smile. You looked happy." She paused a moment, watching her friend walk her 
office floor. "Your headaches worry me, Lissi."

"They worry me too," she said, softly, letting the genuine emotion cover her 
face for a moment. "I'm waiting to see what the doctors find out."

Melanie stood and walked over to Elissabeth, putting an arm around her. "No 
offence to Cazook or Anna, but maybe you should have seen a specialist while we 
were on Betazed." 

"That... wasn't possible. I'll be seeing someone when we get back to Earth. 
Though if it's not soon, I may just be taking a side trip of my own," she 
offered with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Thing is, I only had 
headaches like this when certain telepaths, i.e. your sister, would get too 
invasive. But now... it's just happening."

"Maybe she did something while she was in there?" Melanie asked, knowing that 
Elissabeth probably had that looked into already. "She was awfully screwed up 
while you too were connected."

"I know. And there's a good chance of it. But Melanie, don't you dare tell her 
anything. I knew what sort of risks I was taking when I allowed it to happen, 
but your sister is very special to me and she helped me and believed in me when 
no one else did. She gave me a second chance and I wasn't going to let her go 
without one. Consequences be damned."

Melanie smiled. "I won't say a word, I promise. Say, have you had lunch? I 
could really really go for a tuna and jelly sandwich."

Elissabeth closed her eyes and swallowed. "I think I'll pass. Poor Elijah is 
going to have his hands full with you," she laughed. "But thank you. I'm 
actually going to see Cazook in just a bit." 

"Suite yourself." Melanie laughed as she gave her friend a hug. "Let me know 
how things go ok? You and Bryce should join Eli and I for dinner soon. I 
promise to eat something normal as long as the wee one lets me."

"Of course. Have you thought of a name yet?"

Melanie shook her head. "Not yet. We really haven't talked about stuff like 
that yet. I do however have the oddest feeling that it's a girl." Melanie 
shrugged. "But it's still to soon for her to be anything yet."

Elissabeth smiled, "Well, she's a very lucky child." She tried not to let the 
haunting look of slight jealousy creep into her eyes.

"She will be with all the family she's going to have." Melanie's had went to 
her tummy on it's own. "Your going to adore your Aunt Lissi aren't you Poppet?"

Elissabeth tried not to let the moment become awkward. Instead she looked away 
and tried to find something on her desk that needed attending to. 

"Elissabeth?" 

She looked up and smiled. "Something wrong?"

She couldn't put her finger on it, but yes something was wrong. "Are you ok? 
You looked... lost.. hurt.. for a moment. Did I say something?"

"Don't be silly," she continued to paste the best smile she could muster on her 
face.

"I'm not." Melanie replied but could clearly see she wasn't going to get 
anymore then Lissi's best hard shell smile. "Let me know when the two of you 
can come ok? I'd like to meet Bryce before I'm the size of a small shuttle."

"Yeah," she offered with a false sense of brightness, but it was the best she 
could manage with the pounding in her head on top of every other feeling she 
was experiencing. 

Melanie nodded and hugged her friend one more time. "Go to Cazook and get 
something for your head. I'll get out of your hair now."

"You're not in my hair, Melanie. My door is always open to you. But I am going 
to go see Cazook. Thank you for stopping by and congratulations again. That's 
just wonderful news. I really am happy for you."

"Thank you, Elissabeth." Melanie knew her friend was being honest, she was 
happy for her, but there was something else there too. After leaving 
Elissabeth's office, Melanie made her way to the lounge for that sandwich. 
"We're going to have to keep an eye on Aunt Lissi, poppet, Mummy's worried 
about her."

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