Do Unicorns Like Pancakes?

Posted on Sun Dec 10th, 2023 @ 6:53am by Lieutenant JG Toareth Rouen (née Darqa) & Gabrielle Rouen & Lieutenant JG René Rouen
Edited on on Mon Dec 11th, 2023 @ 12:53am

2,133 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Prelude: Getting Ready to Depart
Location: Toareth's Quarters
Timeline: MD5, 0630 hours

René had woke up early and started his morning routine of jog, coffee and shower. He still had an hour and a half until watch started and wondered if it would be intrusive to show up and have breakfast with Toar and Gabrielle. He went to the replicator and ordered a plush toy for Gabrielle, a snow white unicorn with a mane with colors of the rainbow. Five minutes later he stood outside Toareth's quarters and tapped his commbadge. "Lieutenant Darqa, may I swing by for breakfast with you and Gabrielle?"

"What was that?" came her voice. It sounded staticky and over-volumed as though she was speaking directly into it with maybe an inch separating it from her mouth. "Oh..." and the sound coming through the commbadge sounded it hit something, something else, a little rush of wind and a thump before it went silent. René could hear something akin to it being picked up off the floor. "Sorry. Dropped it. I...OW! Gabby," and he heard that through the door. "Always pick up your toys."

"Sowwy Mama," he heard in the distance through the commbadge.

"Yeah...um..." René could tell she was thinking, looking around. "Give me a few seconds to pick this place up. But, sure. Come on over."

René stifled a laugh as the communications circuit conveyed a sense of chaos coming from inside. He pondered waiting a moment before ringing the door chime or doing so immediately. He chose the latter. He had the plush toy behind his back as the door opened to reveal Gabrielle. He crouched and brought up the unicorn. "Your mama told me you like plushies. Thought I would bring you one to add to your collection."

Gabby's face lit up bright and René could almost feel the excitement. She grabbed at the plushie. "Tank you Dada. I name him Sparkles." She spun to Toareth standing in the doorway to the lavatory. "Mama, look. Flotter has a st...a steed. His name is Sparkles."

Toareth was in the threshold between the common area of her quarters and the lavatory. She wore only her SF issued PT shorts and a loose crop-top t-shirt. She happily watched Gabby's excitement. To René, "It seems when I said to give me a few seconds, you took that literally."

René shrugged, a playful smile on his face. "I was in the neighborhood, so...." He about and decided it was a good idea to lend a hand. "I have an idea. How about the two of you get dressed and I will replicate us all some breakfast." He glanced at Gabrielle. "You get dressed first and I will put extra chocolate chips in your pancakes. Deal?"

"Deawl," said Gabby and she immediately turned and darted for her bedroom. Her foot caught one of her toys and she went down, belly first onto the floor. She never let go of Sparkles. Hopping up as though nothing had happened. "I'm OK," she said. "You didn't see dat," and she disappeared into her room.

Toareth working her hair into a ponytail, securing it behind her head as she tepped up closer to René. "Some mornings, it is as though Hurricane Gabrielle came through." She looked about the place and gave a few nods. "This would be one of those mornings. I...we...need to see about daycare for her. She needs to socialize with the other kids. Though she loves it, I cannot always take her to Sick Bay with me. I am sure your chief may not want her hanging out in the Security office all day either."

René nodded as he looked around at the messy common area. "Nor would the Captain, XO or Officer of the Deck when I have bridge watch."

"Nor would they like it to see my quarters like this," she said, likewise looking about the area.

He turned back to Toar and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "Get dressed. I will get breakfast sorted and pick up in here." He went to the replicator and programmed a breakfast for three and set about picking up toys strewn throughout the room.

"Many thanks," she said as she stepped back and away. "Everyone else is so supportive. Especially of children. Something about heading out into the cosmos makes one value youth more I suppose." She was scratching at her head, stretching and yawning. "But nothing compares to her finally having her father nearby."

René paused to look at Toar and the look of appreciation on her face. "My pleasure mon amour. Now get ready." He returned to his straightening up. Like any good father would.

That was an order Toareth was perfectly willing to obey without hesitation, if it was not for another migraine coming on. It was the second she stepped back into the lavatory that a pinch appeared behind her right eye. "Oh dam..." no...stop...hold it...young ears about... "oh drat," she said as she slammed a palm against her head. She breathed steadily as the pinch exploded into searing pain and a ringing in her ear. "Can't you just...oh...ow." She stumbled to the sink and leaned against the counter. "I'm OK," she said as she could sense René just arriving to check on her. At least she thought he did.

René, during their time together on the Stardancer, had gotten proficient at noticing signs to the onset of Toareth's migraines. He paused in his work and followed her to the fresher. He knew there was nothing he could do to prevent the moment of discomfort. He took her in his arms as the wave of pain finished washing over her. He felt helpless.

It was soothing, René's touch. But that, of course, could not mitigate the squealing pain ringing in her head. This had to pass on its own. Sometimes it was long with heavy pain, sometimes short and only briefly painful. Other times, it would be short and extremely painful or even lasting a long time but with only minor pain. Sometimes, a simply little annoying pinch in her brain would be all of it, all 1 hour of it. This time, though, the migraine was thankfully short-live and not debilitating.

As the ringing was waning, "Mama," she heard a sorrowful voice speak from the other side of the quarters.

Toareth had stopped reeling and contained herself. She was still in René's arms. "She somehow always knows," she said to René. "I'm OK Dearheart," she said as she stepped to the threshold.

"Mama," said Gabby again, "are you OK?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Your Dada is here to make sure of that. You know those headaches I get from time to time."

Gabby was nodding, her head almost bouncing.

"Well I just had one and it is gone now." That was of course a lie as the ringing was still in her ear but fading away. "Finish getting ready, OK?"

Gabby nodded and sank back into her room. Toareth returned to René. "We tried again to find out what causes these things, but not even my team could find any answers. They did disappear almost completely...while I was pregnant though," she said with a shrug to René without any further explanation as to why. "But came right back once Gabby was born." She decided it was not worth more words and went back to getting ready.

René listened quietly to Toareth as she spoke. He pondered what the cause was and despite her assurances there was no cure, he wondered. He knew the body produced chemicals during pregnancy, but those chemicals remained in the system for several weeks, maybe longer, after birth. He was no physician, but he wondered all the same. "I know you might think it is pointless, but perhaps there's some test that can be performed." He paused for a moment. His expression as sorrowful as Gabrielle's a moment before. "I wish there were more I could do."

"Well," Toareth started, "there is..." and her thoughts were on the deeds of Dr. Tolian Soren; destruction of a star, attempted destruction of an entire star system along with the loss of more than 300 million souls. All just so he could get back to that energy ribbon. Toareth wondered if he suffered from the same ailment as she; frequent migraines. Did they drive him mad? Instead of giving her thought more words, she placed her hand on his. "Me too. I hope for an answer one day."

She gave him a few reassuring nods that she was fine again and Toar went back to getting ready. "Just a few minutes more." She looked at herself in the mirror. "You of course know I used to never care about my hair appearance. Well, now that I am assistant CMO, my boss has ordered me to care." And she went back to getting her hair straight.

René allowed a small grin to cross his face. "So does this mean I will get to see you in a dress like our first date?" He gave Toar a playful wink.

Toar stopped before getting into her uniform and looked at René. "Only when you are my superior and make it an order," she replied. Getting back to getting ready, "Now go pick up the room a bit if you please and check on our daughter. Make sure she is ready."

"Oui mon Capitan." René smirked as he brought his index finger to his eyebrow and gave Toareth a mock saluted. He looked over his shoulder and added a wink to his smirk. "If you like, I would be happy to assist in ripping the dress off at the end of the night." He exited the fresher before she could respond...or throw something at him.

"Speaking of assisting," came Toareth's voice as he stepped further into the common area, "can you take Gabby this evening and keep her tonight? I have to do a late night shift in Sick Bay and it would be easier if she stayed with you as opposed to you or someone dropping by to check on her. Taken, of course, that you do not have your rapier, circa 1600's freely lying about. I would much appreciate it."

Rene wanted a chance to bond with Gabrielle. He nodded his head. "I will be off by sixteen hundred hours. I will come by Sickbay and pick her up then." He then stepped into the living room and got back to work.

René picked up about a dozen or so plushies and carried them to Gabrielle's bedroom door. He knocked and waited for permission to enter.

"You may entewr," came Gabby's voice.

René entered the bedroom and carried the menagerie to the bed. He set each one of the plushies down in exact order per Gabrielle's instructions He took Gabrielle's hand and led her out into the living/dining area and ordered up breakfast from the replicator. He was just getting plates to the table when Toareth joined them.

She emerged from the lavatory, stretching and yawning again. The smell of breakfast enlivened her. "Kind of a rough night last night. Wasn't it Dearheart?"

"Mmm hmm," returned Gabrielle. "Dada, Mama was..."

"Still getting used to the ship life again," she broken in. "You would think someone as travelled as I am would not have any trouble getting used to new surroundings."

"Look Mama, pancakes!" exclaimed the little one as René returned to the table with a stack of steamy breakfast goodness. "Dada, do unicorn like pancakes?"

Rene gave a single nod of his head. "They do indeed, but they don't like syrup. So only plain pancakes for Sparkles. Okay?"

Gabrielle brought Sparkles up and sat him in the chair next to her. She did not yet put the plushie of Flotter on his back.

Renè looked at Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, mama has to work late tonight. She wants me to look after you. Would you like to spend the night here or in dada's quarters? Your choice mon petit."

Before Renè could get an answer though, Gabrielle's face took on a somber expression and she looked at Toareth. "Mam..."

"Oh no, little one. I'm not going anywhere. Just working late. I am not even leaving the ship." She leaned in on Gabrielle to explain further. "People get sick at night too you know. Someone had to be there to make them feel better. Well, tonight, that person is me. I'm sorry. I won't be able to tuck you in tonight."

At least that somber expression Gabrielle wore had gone away.

"So which is it? Do you want to stay here and have Dada check on you. Or do you want to go stay with Dada tonight?"

"Stay wit Dada!" she exclaimed.

Toareth straightened. "It is settled then."

 

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