=/\= Starbase Unity =/\=
Stepping off the transport, Chloe had her hand softly in Richards. Their honeymoon had been much more than she had expected. And that wasn't a bad thing either. During their time there on Risa, She realized how much money he had by all the things they had done while they were there.
Richard felt a certain sadness at being back at Unity. For the last week, he’d been happier than he’d been in a very long time. It had been a very very long time since he’d had proper R&R, and he realized how much he’d missed it. There was also the added joy of being with Chloe – his new wife of only one week. He felt himself fiddling with his wedding band again, and stopped it.
Chloe had noticed him messing with his wedding band before, but hadn't said anything. This time she didn't. "Not having second thoughts are you?" She asked as they made their way to their quarters once again. Now properly theirs.
“No, its not that.” He said, honestly. “Its just it feels weird to have one on my finger again. Its just an odd feeling, is all.”
She nodded, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I couldn't be happier.
" She told him making it to their quarters. "Is Sarah still here do you think?"
“Its rent free, of course she’s still here.” Richard mused. “She’s like her mother, where there be shops, spas, holodecks, replicators and rent-free accommodation, she’ll be there with bells on.”
"That's a little harsh. I’m sure she wants’ to be around you as much as everything else." When they entered their quarters, indeed she saw Sarah sitting on the couch.
“Hey guys!” Sarah said, beaming. “Hi Mom!” She grinned at Chloe, and hugged her.
Chloe felt awkward having Sarah calling her mom. "You can still call me by my name." Chloe said after getting a hug from her step daughter.
“Okay Chloe.” She said, then turned to her dad. “Hi Dad.” She said, and hugged him too.
“You can still call me Dad.” He said, gruffly, but affectionately, hugging her back.
"Have you been here the whole week we were gone?" Chloe asked Sarah, relived that Richard's daughter seemed to have no issues with her being married to her father, or at least not showing it to Chloe.
“Pretty much.” She said. “I was on the holodeck a lot of the time, with a very tasty Orion slave girl program.”
Chloe have a soft chuckle, not really sure how to reply to that. Taking her and Richard's small duffles to their bedroom to start unpacking.
Richard smiled at Sarah as Chloe left. “Go help your step-mother.” He said. “I’ve got to go check in with the office, make sure Harper hasn’t declared war on the Vulcan’s.”
“Okay Dad.” Sarah said, chuckling, and entered the bedroom after Chloe. “Need any help?” She asked.
"Sure." Chloe said half way threw a duffle, that was hers. All the clothes are clean. I didn't want to come home with dirty laundry." Chloe explained. "So they just have to be put away."
“You did laundry whilst on holiday?” Sarah said, stunned. “I know Dad is a bit dull, but he can’t have been THAT dull, so that doing laundry was more fun!”
"No, we had the hotel service do it while we were there. I didn't touch a thing." Chloe said with a laugh. Sarah didn't know how messy Chloe was, and doing the laundry was deffently not something she did often.
“Considering it was Risa, I should hope so.” Sarah said, smirking. “Was Risa every bit as good as the holo-adverts make it out to be?”
"Even better." Chloe said putting things away. She was going to try to keep things in order in Richard and her's quarters, but doubt it would last long. "What have you been up to while we were gone. I hope your father isn't going to find a huge bill in his name."
“Oh, nothing major.” Sarah said. “I flirted with a few of the new transfers, got on really well with a hot little red headed medic, about to ship out on the Dauntless. I gave her a send-off she’ll not forget…” Sarah’s eyes sparkled with untold mischief.
"It might be a good idea not to tell your father that." Chloe said putting the last of their things away.
Sarah made a ‘pfft’ noise through her mouth. “Dad says as long as I’m happy, not getting hurt, or getting myself in the brig, he’s pretty cool with what I do.”
After a moment's thoughts, Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any plans for yourself?" She wasn't asking how long she was staying, more so seeing how that Sarah had spent the last week or so doing nothing. And Richard had never mentioned what Sarah did to keep herself occupied.
“Not really.” Sarah said. “I completed my education, and now I’m sort of drifting, till I find what I’d like to do.”
"How long have you been -- drifting--?" Chloe asked, not really showing how she felt. Chloe had always known what she wanted to do in life, and it was hard looking at Sarah and seeing that she wasn't going anywhere at the moment. Especially now that Sarah was her daughter.
=/\= To be continued… =/\=
MGen. Richard Sharpe
Chloe Sharpe
Sarah Sharpe
