A complication

Posted on Mon Oct 26th, 2020 @ 6:12am by Lieutenant JG Heather De La Rosa {Kelea-Salik} & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor] & Avalon [ADMIN NPC]
Edited on on Mon Oct 26th, 2020 @ 9:00am

Mission: Season 4: Episode 2: Rest And Relaxation
Location: Pacifica
Timeline: MD who cares :)
2274 words - 4.5 OF Standard Post Measure

A slim woman in a professional suit walked down the corridor of the large resort where the USS Elysium crew were taking extremely well earned vacation. She found the suite of the couple she was looking for and hit the chime.

"Room service is here Heather!" Fernando shouted to his wife as the chime to their suite rang. Opening the door he found himself staring at a slim, attractive woman in a business suit. "Yes. Can I help you?" He asked.

"Senior Chief Petty Officer De La Rosa?" She asked. "I am Serena Hawthorn, from Harriman, Ba'au and Crawley" She paused "I am a lawyer. And I have been hired by my client to speak with you and your wife about a rather... delicate situation."

"Yes. That is me. Please come in Miss Hawthorn, no need to conduct business in the hallway." Fernando answered, "Heather! We have a guest!" He turned back to Serena. "Please have a seat. Would you care for something to drink?"

She stepped in and moved to the small seating area. "No thank you. I appreciate you allowing me to take up your vacation time." She placed a slim briefcase beside the chair she had chosen to sit in.

Heather was supposed to be back a while ago but she’d got carried away looking around the shops at the resort, having finally torn herself away she headed for their quarters.

While they waited for Heather, Fernando asked a question, "Forgive me Miss Hawthorn, what is this all about? I don't believe Heather and I have any business pending with your firm."

"No, I was hired by a Ms Isabella McDougal, she is.. sorry was, a school teacher on the USS Elysium, she has since transferred back to Earth after your last mission. She is aware you may not know her."

Fernando nodded, "I'm sorry. I don't know her. Heather might being a nurse. She may seen her in Sickbay." Fernando offered.

At that moment the door opened and Heather walked in, “Sorry I’m late! I got a bit carried away” She stopped talking as she noticed there was someone else in the room. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

"Heather!" Fernando jumped up and moved to kiss his wife. "You didn't interrupt anything this is Miss Serena Hawthorn she has business that includes you as well." He glanced at Miss Hawthorn. "Miss hawthorn allow me to introduce my wife Heather De La Rosa."

“Heather smiled politely. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Hawthorn.” She moved across to the sofa and looked at Fernando curiously as she took a seat. “Is there something I should be aware of?”

"I'm as much in the dark as you are Heather." Fernando answered. "Miss Hawthorn was beginning to explain when you arrived."

Heather looked at Hawthorn waiting to see what she was visiting them for.

Oh this was going to be difficult. "As I was saying I was hired by a Ms Isabella McDougal, she is was, a school teacher on the USS Elysium, she has since transferred back to Earth after your last mission. And I was hired by her due to my firm's.. expertise in the more delicate of legal matters." She paused. "Do you both know Lieutenant Triannth?"

"I do." Fernando answered. "Not that well but she is in my department."

"We assisted with the legal adoption of her eldest daughter Raye, Raye is the biological child of Serenity's Mirror. To put it simply."

Fernando exchanged a look with Heather before looking back at Miss Hawthorn.

"Ms McDougal was.." she sighed. "Among those captured and given as slaves to those officers on the Mirror USS Elysium. She was rescued with others, found sobbing in a cabin of one Master Chief de La Rosa."

A cold chill ran down Fernando's spine at the mention of his name albeit his mirror. "What did he do?" Fernando asked already dreading the answer.

Heather gently held onto he husband’s hand, both as a gesture of support to him and comfort to her. She couldn’t even imagine what her husband’s mirror self would be like.

"I do not think you require the specifics, let us just say she was poorly used and abused. And he wanted her for breeding stock, so much so that he took measures to ensure that there would be a child."

Heather could barely believe what she was hearing. Her Fernando was so loving and caring, it seemed like most of the other mirror counterparts Fernando’s was as evil as it came.

"Mi dios." Fernando exclaimed softly. His head fell and his shoulders shook as tears and sobs racked his body at just hearing the generalities of what is mirror counterpart had done.

Heather wrapped her arms around Fernando comforting him as best as she could.

"ms McDougal wishes to give you both, the first right of taking custody of the child. She does not for obvious reasons wish to carry it to term, thus we are looking for a surrogate as she is against destroying the life of a child. But once the child is born it is to be put up for adoption, unless..." Serena let it hang.

“I’ll do it” Heather didn’t need any time to think about it. “I know this isn’t exactly your child ...” She looked at Fernando, “But I’m willing to carry the baby to term. I’m also willing to be his or her mother full time if that’s what you want?” She looked at Fernando waiting for an answer.

Fernando didn't answer right away. His mind was spinning from what he had just heard. "He stains me with his evil." Fernando replied angrily. "And now you ask us to adopt a child of the woman he raped." He paused, his emotions warring with each other. He and Heather could give the child the love it would need as well as a good stable home along with the guidance needed while growing up. He looked at Heather and then at Miss Hawthorn. "What do we need to do?"

Serena was surprised by Heathers offer. "Well, that depends. If you both agree for Mrs De La Rosa to be the surrogate then, we will arrange for the procedure. If you choose for another lady to be it, the procedure will be done and contact details given to you both." She paused. "Ms McDougal has requested that any mention of her in the file be deleted."

Fernando nodded, "I think it best that Heather carry the child. She can begin to bond with it even as she carries it to term and we adopt it." Fernando replied." He paused, "I understand and respect Ms. McDougal's request and it will be honored. Is there anything we can to to help her with what she has endured?"

“We’ll do anything we can to help her” Heather looked at Serena. “I wouldn’t blame her if all she wants is a clean break from anything to do with what she’s endured.”

"I'm sorry for the pain both physical and mental that she has gone through and is probably still dealing with at the hands of my mirror counterpart. Frankly I'm amazed she would want me/us to have the child."

"She understands the difference but this event on top of not being from this era... ms McDougal is from the year 2001 thus still coming to grips with the changes... it has all cumulated into her being unable to face raising this child. She believes that you both would be best for the child. The pregnancy is only 3 weeks along and the doctors deem it viable."

"I'm sorry for everything she has gone through from being displaced in time to being raped and abused by my mirror." Fernando replied as he got up and walked to the huge ocean front window their suite had. His head hung. "I didn't do this but I feel responsible for her pain."

“You are responsible for nothing Fernando!” Heather looked at her husband. “You’re the sweetest most loving man I know, you’re nothing like him.”

Serena pulled out paperwork from her briefcase. "She wants you to understand that she does not in anyway blame you for her current situation. She said to tell you that the man was is dead. Now, Mrs de la Rosa, if you are agreeable, we will begin the process of the fetus transfer on earth and have it transported to the Elysium for implantation."

"That is very gracious of her. However I blame me and forgive me. I glad to hear my mirror is dead. I hope he burns in hell for eternity." Fernando said turning from the window briefly before looking back at the tranquil sea. If only his thoughts were as tranquil.

Heather understood Fernando’s pain, she was feeling it loud and clear thanks to her senses and her bond with him. “I’m agreeable, I’ll be ready as soon as they are.” She looked at Fernando then back at Serena, “I want to be a mother and we’ll take good care of the baby. May I ask, do they know the sex of the baby?”

"No not at this stage. Too early to tell." Serena said calmly. She handed over the files. "This is the mother's file, her medical history. These are the latest scans and this, is the agreement. My client has already signed her parental rights away."

Fernando stood at the window. Tears streamed down his face. One life shattered. He only hoped it could be rebuilt and Ms. McDougal could move past this and have a good, fulfilling life. Another life just beginning, hopefully with the love he and Heather could give it. It would grow into a respected adult and have a good, productive life.

“Fernando ... are you sure this is what you truly want?” Heather sat looking at her husband. “I want you to be happy not have a child that reminds you of such evil. If you don’t want to I’ll understand.”

"if this is not what you want, then my client has instructed me to find another person. We can find a person totally unconnected." Serena said watching them.

Fernando continued to look out over the ocean as he began to speak. "My whole life I only wanted three things. Join Starfleet. Find a good woman to marry and be a loving father. I have the first two. A career in Starfleet and a woman i love and adore with every fiber of my being." He turned to look at Heather. "I know this is what you want Heather to be a mother and you will be a fantastic one. As for me I will spend the rest of my life, loving this child and trying to make up for the evil my mirror caused and the lives he ruined."

Heather smiled and nodded as she looked at Serina. “We’ll do it, this child will have a loving home with us.”

"Very well" Serena said "Lets do this paperwork," She suggested.

“Just show me what you need me to sign off on” Heather looked at Fernando still worried about his state of mind.

"You both will need to sign this, it agrees that after the transplantation you will not contact Ms. McDougal at all, and that the child will be registered as yours on the birth certificates. Then you both will need to sign this, it states that Ms. McDougal will not be contacting you in anyway and that you acknowledge it."

Serena brought out the last PADD. "This is the latest medical report on the Child and if you sign it, the procedure will be completed on Earth within 24 hours and the fetus will be en-route within 48 hours."

"She truly wishes to disassociate herself from the baby's life? I am so sorry she feels this way." Fernando asked as he walked backed to the two women. "Where do I need to sign Ms. Hawthorn?"

"Unfortunately Mr. De La Rosa, My Client is adamant. And the doctors agree that it may affect her but she refuses to see it. So, we do this and she lives with it. Please sign here, here, and here. Both of you."

Heather signed where she was shown, she was excited by the prospect of becoming a mother and 48 hours would give the doctor time to prepare her body in readiness for implantation.

"I see." Fernando replied sadly as he signed where Serena indicated. "Anything else Ms. Hawthorn? Any money to be paid to either your or your firm? What about Ms. McDougal?"

"The fees have already been handled by Ms McDougal, as she is my client." Serena gathered the PADDS and pressed a button on one. "There, submitted." She smiled. "Congratulations on your pending joy."

Fernando nodded, "Thank you." He looked at Serena. "I have no want or desire to insult Ms. McDougall but surely this was a financial strain for her as well as mental. Can we compensate her?"

"That might not be a good idea" Heather looked at Fernando. "She might feel that we're trying to bribe her or buy her loyalty or something." She offered an understanding smile. "Perhaps an anonymous donation to something Ms McDougal cares about?"

"I will see what I can arrange for you." Serena replied. "I will send you a list of charities." She gathered the remaining paperwork. "you should keep these copies" she waved to their copies on the table. "Thank you for your time."

“Our pleasure” Heather offered a smile.