Learning over again

[Cmdr Ridire 0]

By: Cmdr Ridire & Dr. Matthews

 

The time had come. Aidan had awakened about three hours earlier. She'd chatted with him for a few minutes then quickly taken herself off to hide in her office. She'd been there several minutes before she remembered she was supposed to order something for him to eat. After taking care of that, she'd remained secluded until Rocco came to fetch her.

 

He didn't have to say a word. Deb knew what he was there for the moment he stepped through the door. "He's ready," Studly said quietly. "Are you?"

Deb smiled bravely, stood up and walked toward her colleague. "No, but that's irrelevant. He certainly won't regain his memory by hanging around in Sickbay. The sooner he gets home, the better the chances are he'll start remembering."

 

It was so much easier said than done. She managed to keep her hands to herself as she led Aidan to the lift and ordered it to Deck 4. She even maintained a somewhat pleasant conversation with him, although it was somewhat awkward. The man she was taking to their quarters was a virtual stranger. She could only imagine what he thought and felt about her.

 

They finally arrived and the door opened granting them entry. Just a few hours ago, this had been a very familiar place to both of them. Now, it was totally foreign to Aidan and that fact was enough to make it foreign to her as well.

 

Nephtys greeted them immediately. "That's Nephtys," Deb explained as the Siamese demanded attention. "She was your cat to begin with but now, she's adopted me as well."

 

During the walk to his quarters Aidan had tried to keep up a pleasant conversation with this woman who was his wife. But he also spent the walk trying to reconcile what his confused emotions towards her were, and not having much success at it.

 

As he follows her into the quarters he sighs to himself. Though he smiles when she points out Nephtys. He bends down and picks the cat up and pets it for a few moments, eliciting a pleased purr from the feline. "Well, little one, you've grown rather a lot...and gotten a bit on the heavy side haven't you." He carries the cat over to the couch and sits down. He glances at Deb and says curiously "Let me guess...you placed yourself in charge of decorating? Not that I'm complaining..but this is not..a single man’s quarters." He pauses then shrugs "If you wouldn't mind, mind going into some detail on..well..us? And yourself as well? How long have we been married? Your family? And I guess..do we have any children?"

 

She shouldn't have been disturbed by his questions but she was. She'd convinced herself she could handle this professionally. After all, she was a physician and Aidan was an injured patient. It was as simple as that.

 

Even before they left Sickbay, she'd begun to suspect she had been fooling herself. His questions about their relationship hammered home that fact. This man wasn't just a patient and she was a lot more than an attending physician. She was his wife and he was her husband....her husband who couldn't remember her or any part of the life they'd shared over the past few years. When Aidan asked for details "about us," she felt like someone reached inside her chest and squeezed her heart and then dropped it into her stomach.

 

Deb managed to sit down in "Aidan's chair," the one across the room from the sofa. She took a couple of deep breaths as a million thoughts rushed through her mind. "Just answer the questions he asked," she ordered silently. "Don't offer too much information...just give him what he asks for."

 

"My parents were killed in an accident when I was four. I was raised by my paternal grandparents," Deb began, her voice remarkably calm considering the herd of elephants traipsing around in her stomach. "Virgil and Rose are there names and they are still alive and well though growing older every day. They live in the Redstone Colony on Mars so that's where I was raised." She dared to glace at him and found him watching her intently. Under other circumstances, she would have enjoyed the look in eyes but now, all she could feel was a terrible sense of loss. "I've been with Reaent for about twelve years. We met when you were assigned almost ten years ago. We've been married for about five years but there are no children...at least...not yet....but we are....were....planning to have a couple once we took ground assignments."

 

That was enough for now. She'd answered his questions. Deb leaned back and smiled at him knowing there was more to come.

 

He arches an eyebrow at the answer regarding kids. He murmurs "Funny...I used to never be able to picture such a thing as accepting a ground assignment. Apparently...well I guess being married does change things when it comes to ones view of the future." He frowns when he notices the emotion that flits through her eyes at that. If there was anything that convinced him she was telling the truth about their marriage, it was the way she seemed to be able to affect his emotional heart. He had quite purposely closed himself off emotionally the last few months on the Venture, because of the Executive Officer offer with regards to the Reaent and also..well..some rather personal reasons as well. Apparently this woman...Deb had managed to pierce that shell.

 

He sighs "I'm sorry for what this is making you go through and I'm sorry about your parents as well. He sighs and shakes his head, "And I can't imagine my mother is quite so pleased on the apparent delay with grandchildren." He frowns again then says tentatively, "And I can't imagine I was all that easy to get to know. So I guess I'd like to know how our marriage is. Would like to think I'm a good husband at least..."

 

He was apologizing to her for having to go through this? He was the one with no memory of the last nine plus years. His apology embarrassed her. Obviously, she was allowing her distress to show itself and he had always been very perceptive. "Behave professionally," she warned herself while silently acknowledging that it was much easer said than done.

 

"Yes," Deb said softly. "You are a good husband. And we have a good marriage.....a really good marriage." She managed a genuine smile. "And your mother has proven to be quite patient." She paused a moment half hoping he would say something so she wouldn't have to continue. But he remained quiet. "I got to know you during one of our early missions. It involved the USS Cairo....it was a real mess. Anyway, you and I worked closely together during that mission and our relationship evolved from there." She again leaned forward in the chair and glanced around the room. "We own property in Hawaii and had plans to settle down there one day."

 

"As far as my parents are concerned, I barely remember them. Your family welcomed me without hesitation. I'm very fond of them."

He nods though the frown doesn’t completely disappear. "Well I’m glad I’m apparently a good husband. And I somehow suspect you had some difficulty getting past the wall I am..was putting up when I joined this ship." He shakes his head then adds "Though...if you wouldn’t mind...please end the past tense stuff. This "had plans to settle down" and "we are...were planning. I very much intend to get my memory back."

"Anyway...we plan to settle down in Hawaii? Not Ireland?"

 

"No, not Ireland," replied Deb with a little chuckle. "Turns out you don't like cold weather." She stood and started walking toward the kitchen area. "I'm glad to hear you intend to get back your memory," she said lightly. "I'm not planning to rest until you do." She turned and graced him with a bright smile. "In the meantime, I'm in the mood for a snack....something involving chocolate. Would you like something?"

 

He shrugs and tries a small smile, "Surprise me. Something similar will do." He watches her step over to the replicator before he turns and steps over to the windows. He frowns at the reflection and sighs to himself. In an undertone he murmurs, "So what have you gotten yourself into this time, laddy." Privately he wonders what her reaction will be if he doesn’t get his memory back. Exactly how could one be expected to remain with someone who has forgotten everything about them.