"I'm Ok, You're Ok"

Posted on 04 Nov 2012 @ 3:39am by Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle & Commander Scarlet Blake

1,133 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo, Delainey's Office
Timeline: MD3, 1600 hrs.

[ON]

"Thank you for coming by, Scarlet," Delainey began warmly. She had elected to sit casually on her office couch rather than behind the desk for this meeting since she wasn't really looking for a formal discussion but rather a relaxed chat. "I really just wanted to touch base with you after the recent attack and see how you're doing. Being a counselor is hard enough I imagine, but you also have your daughter to look after. How're things going?"

"They're still going," Scarlet took a breath at the question, but smiled, knowingly to her. Sometimes, it felt like an achievement for things to be just 'going'. She took the seat next to her, resting against the back comfortably as she thought it over. "It's always difficult, when there's an emergency and you know your girl is out there somewhere. You know you have a job to do, but your instinct tells you to go and find her. I'm lucky though, the Chaplain is someone tasked with making sure civilians are safe during attacks, I know he was looking after Lily."

Delainey sympathized with the young mother, and suddenly tried to imagine what it would be like to not only face the stress of the job and personal trauma, but the pull of a child's needs. "I have a great deal of respect for all that you have to juggle on your own. I don't have children, but I want you know you can come to me if you just need an ear." Carlisle paused, then added, "I'll understand if that makes you a bit uneasy given our professional relationship, but I hope in time you won't feel that way."

Carlisle's pause was longer this time. She wanted to ask how Scarlet was really holding up. Delainey had of course known there'd been a traumatic mission in Blake's past, though not the specifics, and the maternal streak in her screamed for the Chief Counselor to inquire if recent experiences had brought up old demons, but this was not a psych eval and those sorts of questions would likely put Blake on the defensive, as the two were not yet close.

Scarlet shook her head with a small smile, watching her as she crossed her legs comfortably. "No. It makes sense. And I appreciate the offer, it's kind of you. I know there's been a lot here for you to do with the recent battles," she sighed as she shook her head with a frown. "I hope you will feel the offer can go both ways, if you need an ear."

"Thank you," Delainey replied sincerely. "These sorts of experiences have a way of stirring up old demons for a lot of people, and I'd like all of us to feel like we can lean on each other."

Scarlet nodded at the words, taking a breath. Her mind went to the nightmare she'd had. She had become used to them since her marine days, but this one had been a lot more real. She'd wondered herself, had it been the Captain going missing? Knowing she'd been kept prisoner? Had it stirred up her own experiences. "I hope the Captain knows that she can lean on us too," she said quietly.

Scarlet's non-verbals were saying a lot more than her mere words, and the counselor in Delainey jumped to react even as another part of her hesitated. Figuring this might be her only opening, Carlisle offered, "I get the impression you understand the road ahead for from more than just a professional standpoint?"

Scarlet watched her for a long moment, as if considering. She leant back, looking away as she rested her arm up on the back of the sofa, smiling wryly. "As you know, I was a marine before switching to the mainstream Fleet. A lot happened there. I wish I knew the Captain better, to be able to be there for her. As it is, it might be an unwelcome disturbance."

"It?" Delainey asked gently. "I can't help but wonder what you would say to the Captain to support her, in light of your personal experiences."

"Neither can I," Scarlet replied, honestly. "What can you say after something like that. No, I wouldn't want to crowd her. Besides, you would be better suited to speak with her, as the Chief. It would seem odd, my turning up."

Delainey nodded and let the silence hang for a few moments. "I had always planned on working with her, but right now, I'm more interested in how you're holding up. It's not my intention to pry or to turn this into a psych eval, but you've hinted you've experienced at least one major trauma in your life and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't genuinely concerned about your welfare in light of the hole in your service record." Carlisle decided now was the time to be direct. Otherwise, they'd never discuss it, and despite her desire to be respectful, Delainey was not normally one to beat around the bush, especially concerning a colleague.

Scarlet gave a wry smile as she looked to her, meeting her eyes. She knew the play she was making, and she also knew why, so she didn't resent it. "I'm alright," she said quietly, shaking her head. "I am. I have a more settled life here, with a wonderful little girl. I have a career, although it's not quite the one I imagined. The marines, I loved it there, but it went wrong. I couldn't keep control of a situation, someone I was working with just went off. I couldn't hold him back. It all went wrong from there. I was captured and held. But I was also rescued, and have had the chance to move on. To be honest, Lily is what matters now."

Delainey was glad to see Scarlet didn't resent the inquiry, but the Chief Counselor also noted Blake didn't spend much time on the bad and moved quickly to the good. Whether that was because Scarlet had truly healed or because she was eager to avoid the topic, Carlisle wasn't sure. Delainey seemed to recall Scarlet became pregnant shortly after that, which begged the question about how Lily was conceived. Delainey didn't want to pry or appear as though she were a mere gossip, but she also wanted Scarlet to know if she were struggling with that sort of trauma, Delainey could be trusted. Carlisle's battle was internal before she offered, "If you ever need someone to talk to about what happened, please, come to me. I'm not interested in pulling people off duty, I'm just interested in lightening people's loads a bit."

It seemed like a good compromise for the moment.

***
Ensign Scarlet Blake
Counselor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

RSS Feed