<USS Avalon> "En Garde"

En Garde
by Patience Merritt-Ketchum and Sussanna Jameson
 
Anna stared at the door warily, not sure if she should press the chime or not. 
No one liked counsellors, the required psych-eval almost as vehemently avoided 
as the dreaded physical. But here she was, stood outside the new counsellor's 
office, knowing that her evaluation was more than overdue. 

Of course, she was using the excuse that Patience was a new crew member and 
thus requiring a physical. Sighing, Anna reached out and bit the bullet.

Ducking down behind her sofa, Patience peeked over the top and stuck her tongue 
at the young girl looking under the desk for her. 

The strawberry blonde child giggled and ran around the desk, "Found ya!"

"You did!" Pacey exclaimed, when the chime rang.  "Ooh!  I wonder who's knock 
knock knocking at my door." 

"It's the Big Bad Wolf," the little girl squealed, green eyes shining. 

"Should we let him in?"

Wide-eyed, she gave a solemn shake of her head, no. 

Pacey chuckled.  "Hmm... but if we don't, he could huff and puff and blow my 
office down!  And then where would we play?" 

The child smiled with the doctor's teasing as Patience patted her head and 
turned to the door.  "Come in, please." 

As the door slid open Anna gulped down the initial wave of panic and stepped 
inside.  She offered her hand to the small child whist giving a tiny wink at 
the adult.  "Hi, Anna Jameson, CMO.  You the new counsellor?" she said to the 
strawberry blonde.  "I have to admit, you're older than I imagined." 


Pacey's eyes danced, awaiting Gretchen's reaction.

The little girl glanced up at Pacey and then back to Anna, decision being made. 
 She squared her shoulders and stood as tall as possible, reaching out to shake 
Anna's hand.  "Gretchen Dendavier, counselor, at your service, ma'am." 
"I can vouch for her," Patience said solemnly, "I'm completely cured."  An 
impish smile crossed her lips and she said, "Tag! You're it!" while tapping 
Anna's shoulder and both Pacey and Gretchen ran opposite directions in the 
room. 

"Okay, that's it, you're in for it now!"  Anna pelted around after the two 
lunatics, laughing wildly.  Diving down, she grabbed at Gretchen, lifting her 
above her head and crying, "I got ya!  You're it now!" 
 
The girl squealed in delight.  "Big Bad Wolf, Big Bad Wolf!" she cried.  "Miss 
Pacey!  Save me!!"
 
Patience charged into the fray with an imaginary rapier.  "En garde!" she said 
to Anna, stricking her most serious sword fighting pose.  "I have come to 
defend the honour of the beautiful maiden Gretchen!  We must duel!" 
 
Releasing the child, Anna pulled her own rapier, making swishing movements in 
the air.  "To the death?"  Stepping forward, Anna made a deep bow.  "Or, in the 
immortal words of Westley, to the pain?" 
 

Narrowing her eyes, Pacey responded, "If we duel and you win, death for me.  If 
we duel and I win, life for you.  But life on my terms!"  She quoted the words 
from one of her all time favourite novels, The Princess Bride, surprised the 
other woman was acquainted with it.  A slight flourish with her 'rapier' and 
she curled her hand above her head, awaiting the woman's response with 
excitement.  This was so much fun!
 
In the meantime Gretchen giggled, having just finished reading the book they 
were talking about with Miss Pacey.  Suddenly changing the play in front of 
her, she cried,  "I'm Buttercup!  Defend my honour, my love!" 
 
"As you wish," Pacey bowed slightly to the fair Buttercup.

Bowing, Anna followed the exchange as she remembered.  "Meaning?"

"It means I leave you to live in anguish, humiliation, in freakish misery until 
you can stand it no more!" She added in a whisper, "Also known as a 
psych-eval." Pacey twirled about and winked at Anna, " Drop your sword!"

Throwing up her hands and backing to the door, Anna cried in mock anguish.  
"Nooooo, please have mercy on me."  As she reached the door, a glint came to 
her eye.  "But I have a secret weapon!  It's called the new crewman's 
physical." 


Placing her hand over her heart, Pacey mocked, "Oh, you got me!" and stumbled 
back to the sofa, pretenting to faint, throwing her arm across her forehead.  

Gretchen giggled and tackled her on the sofa.

Grinning, Anna joined them.  "That your idea of an evaluation, Doc, or is the 
pain yet to come?" 


Catching her breath, Patience smiled, "Actually, I'd like to have some one on 
one time with you.  Obviously, I wasn't expecting company."  She wrapped her 
arms around Gretchen and pulled her close.  "Gretchen's mother is a friend of 
mine and I look after her a couple times a week." 

"We're best buds," Gretchen piped up, grinning.

"How about a fair trade?" Pacey asked Anna.  "On good faith, I'll show up in 
your office first thing tomorrow morning and you can show up in mine in the 
afternoon.  I'll leave my sword behind, even, and that's saying a lot," she 
winked. 
"I think that's a fair trade."  Anna offered Pacey her hand.  "Welcome aboard."

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