"A Simple Walk" Moria McEntire and Joe McKenna Walking along the water front in Sydney after a rather pleasant dinner with Joseph McKenna the fourth had been the furthers thing on Moria's mind that morning. And yet that was exactly what she was now doing. He had called her that afternoon and asked if she had plans, and for a moment she considered telling him that she did, but somewhere between her mouth and her brain her refusal had turned into accepting his dinner innovation. "So why become a Starfleet counselor instead an artist?" Joe asked as they walked. The air was warm and smelled of salt and he was finding it and her rather pleasant. Moria smirked as she lowered the gauzy shawl she wore over her thin strapped deep green dress. She liked how the ocean air rolled over her bare shoulders and back. "Art's just a hobby, Starfleet's a career." She answered. Joe chuckled. "Sounds like a parental line to me." That made Moria laugh. "It was actually. I don't think my mother could have survived me as a staving artist." "You sound close to your mother." His smile was bright. He liked the light that flickered in her grey eyes when she spoke of her family. That kind of light was rare, most people he knew, not only the women, were far to self centered. Moria nodded, a crooked, childish smile on his lips. "A self admitted Mummy's Girl and proud of it." "Nothing wrong with that." Her smile was so sweet he could look at it all night. "Must not have been easy though. My sisters and our Ma were always bickering." "Oh Mummy and I fight like two cats with their tails tied together." Moria chuckled. "I'm the middle kid, literally. PJ, Joshie, me, James Victoria. So I was always doing the dumbest things to get her attention." He couldn't help but laugh. "To cats with their tails tied together?" Moria laughed with him. "It's something my Nanna Lindsey says, there's also a bit about the cats being stung over a clothes line. It's a Texas thing I think." Without realizing it, Joe put his arm around her shoulder. "It sounds like you have one very interesting family, Moria McEntire." To her own surprise, Moria cuddled into his side. "Your's sound pretty interesting as well. Joseph McKenna the fourth. Like something right out of The Thorn Birds." Joe stiffened a little. Moria noticed and frowned. "Did I say something wrong?" Joe shook his head. "No, not really. It's just," He paused to stir them towards a bench that over looked the harbor. "That was Ma's favorite book. She was always referring to it as a joke. Da use to say it's why he never invited any priests to the house." "I found this old paper back copy of it when I was like eleven in my Grandmother Joanna's library." Moria explained as she looked into his face. "I'd locked my older sister in the garage and was hiding. Anyway, I found this old book and curled into one of the well worn leather chairs and started to read it. I sat there for hours reading it." She smiled sweetly at him. "I've reread it so many times it's falling apart." He reaching out and caressed her cheek before smiling sweetly, yet sadly. "Ma had to have hers rebound four times that I know of. She even tried to get Da to rename the station Drogheda." Moria chuckled though she was fully distracted by the warmth of his touch. "Sounds like you Ma was a good woman." "She was." Joe said softly. He moved a little closer to her as his voice softened. "She'd have liked you a lot." "Oh?" Moria asked, her face flushing, her heart starting to thump in her chest. Joe nodded. "She'd have loved the way you stood up to Da and me over Dane. She'd have liked your strength, and your sweet and fiery spirit." Her breath was caught in her chest. "And what does her son think of those things?" "He likes them, a lot." With that Joe leaned in and kissed her deeply.