Dinner for Four, Plus a Blueberry.

Posted on Sun Jun 27th, 2021 @ 4:59am by Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris & Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly & Ensign Kara Hoffman & Captain David Tonelly [Reece]

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Lieutenant Whavi's Quarters
Timeline: MD-6(?) 18h00
2767 words - 5.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Baeryn was fretting about whether she had chosen the right meal for the evening. Pizza was always a good idea, wasnt it? Part of her wished she had talked it over with Gallia, just to double check Tay would even eat it. Baeryn knew she was over thinking the entire event, but she couldn't help it considering she'd never hosted anything. Not for a personal affair anyway. It was important to her that everyone had a good time, especially Tay.

The table was set for five. She was holding off on replicating the food for fear it would grow cold before anyone was ready to eat. There was music playing, upbeat but on a low enough volume to keep it from being nothing more then just background noise. Baeryn stood looking over the table with a glass of lemonade in her hand, admiring her handiwork.

A few moments later, David arrived. Baeryn had told him that she wanted to introduce him to a few of her close friends, over an informal dinner. He was dressed in a comfortable dark green suit and had a bottle of wine in one hand and, as there would be a young girl at the dinner, a teddy bear dressed up like a Marine in the other. As he approached Baeryn's door, he reached up and pressed the doorchime.

Baeryn hurried to the door, when it opened she smiled and took in David, “Looks like someone came to impress.” Leaning over to kissed David before making way for him to enter. “You're the first here.” Her nerves were more visible then normal.

Returning the kiss, David smiled and entered Baeryn's quarters. "Well, you are introducing me to your friends," he chuckled. "I do want to make a good first impression. This is for dinner." He handed over the bottle of wine. "And this is for the little girl," he held up the teddy bear. "I hope she likes stuffed toys?"

Tayalas was leading the way, in her duckie dress and pink shoes, she rang the chime and waited for Baeryn to open it, saying, "It's me!"

Baeryn opened her mouth to answer David but the chime rang before she could. Hearing the tiny voice on the other side of the door Baeryn’s face lit up. She rushed for the door, depositing her lemonade on a stand nearby. Upon opening the door she kneeled down and opened her arms to greet the small blue tot. “Hello Beautiful!” She gasped, “Oh! I love your dress! Do you think they make it in my size?!”

"I dunno, they should doe." Tayalas said to Baeryn, she was happy to be here with her. She sniffed the air, "Ummm, smell good."

"Aye, that it does, Tay." Her mother added, "Smells like mummy isnae cooking, which is good."

"Who dis?" Tayalas asked, pointing to David, "He coot."

Tay’s comment made Baeryn chuckle, smiling she extended her hand for Tay’s, “That’s David, and I think he has a surprise for you!” When she stood she waved the ladies inside before brining Tay to David.

"Hi, Dabid!" Tay waved and smiled, happy to meet new friends, "I Tayalas, I's a buberry."

Slowly dropping to one knee, so the two of them would be on the same eye level, David gave Tayalas a big, bright smile. "Well hello, Miss Tayalas," he bowed his head respectfully. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He paused briefly befor replying to her second comment. "I must say, in all of my four hundred and sixty-three years, I have never met a blueberry cuter than you." He reached out a playfully tapped the tip of her nose. "Now, I was wondering something, I've got a special friend who needs a new home. Do you like teddy bears?"

"Uh huh, uh huh." Tayalas answered and smiled brightly, looking for the teddy bear, she didn't like teddy bears, she loved them, and would love this one too. Though the numbers didn't work, no way was he that old.

Bringing the camo uniformed teddy bear from behind his back, David said, "Tayalas, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. This, Is Sergeant Winkles. And he just came back from a long journey, and he could use a new home.

"I take good care of Sergeant Winkles." Tayalas smiled, squeezing the bear to her chest and doing the same with David, "I wuv him."

David gently returned the tender hug from young Miss Tayalas. When they released their embrace, he whispered to her, "It's a good thing that you're a great hugger, Little Miss, because, Sergeant Winkles is a Special Ops Hug Bear. He can take as many hugs as you can give him."

"Wooow, I be sure to gib him lots den." Tayalas said, in amazement that special ops hugs bear were even a thing. "Makes sense doe. Mawines need huggies too."

David chuckled softly. "Yes, we do, Miss Tayalas. Yes we do."

The exchange between Tay and David warmed Baeryn's heart, especially with how eager she was to accept the stuffed bear. Turning to Gallia and Kara she extended a hand to Kara. "Hello, I'm Baeryn."

Kara smiled warmly and extended her own hand. "Lovely ta meet ya, I'm Kara. Beautiful place ye've got here. Tay has been so excited to come around and frankly, I have been also." Kara leaned in a little closer and hushed her voice. "Frankly, Gallia hasn't stopped talking about this wee do, for over a week, so I know how much this means, thank you for looking out for both of my darlings."

Baeryn returned Kara's smile as she shook the woman's hand, "It's my pleasure, trust me. It's so nice to finally meet you, come in come in. Can I get either of you something to drink?"

"Well a'v been instructed tae behave masel', but perhaps a small whisky wouldnae hurt." She looked to Gallia. "What would ye' like dear?"

"Aye, that'll be nice." Gallia smiled, happy to see Baeryn and Kara getting along.

As Tayalas hugged Sergeant Winkles, David looked over at Baeryn and smiled warmly.

"We're all off duty, if there is ever a time to misbehave, its now. "She winked playfully at Kara as she left to retrieve the beverages requested. Baeryn caught David's look and scrunched her nose at him as she walked past. "Make yourselves at home!" She tossed over her shoulder.

David loved when Baeryn did that. It was silly and it was such a little gesture. However, he felt that it spoke volumes. Turning his attention back to Tayalas, he asked, "So, I heard that not only do you like teddy bears, but you like duckies too! Is that right?"

"Yes! I wuv duckies!" Tayalas answered, swooning as she talked about her favorite animals, "Do you wuv dem too?"

David broke out into a huge grin. He spread his arms wide in a 'well, yeah!' posture. "Uh, yeah! Birds that can fly, float andswim?! Can it get any cooler?!"

Tayalas looked at him and pointed as if to say 'he gets it' and broke into a giggle.

"Well well, the giggle monsters come outta Tay really quick." Gallia smiled at the turn of events, "She's yours once ye say ye love duckies, her pediatrician was a quack doctor."

Looking up at the woman, David reached up and grinned. "Hi, I'm David."

"Gallia Norris." Gallia smiled back at him, "Is a pleasure."

Baeryn returned with two glasses in hand, she extended one to Gallia then the other to Kara. “A quack doctor?!”

Kara knelt down, and stroked her chin questioningly. "Hmm, a quack doctor, well he is qualified" She nodded her head. "The best Quack doctor there is!" She scooped Tay up into her arms and swung her around, placing her back on the floor.

"Tay, I know it's all fun and games right now. But listen." She hushed her voice. "If anything ever happens to momma or me, Baeryn..." She coughed lightly. "I mean the Quack doctor, you go to him ok. No matter what. I know I can trust him to care of you. I love you cutie pie. If you can't find him, then get to Commander Lovejoy ok? If The quack doctor can't protect you, and momma and me ain't there, than Commander Lovejoy will. I promise!" Grabbing Tay into a motherly hug, before letting her go quickly. "Now go have fun ya little rascal!"

Kara felt almost overwhelmed. For the first time since Gallia, she had someone even more important to protect. She wouldn't fail her daughter. ~Space, is a dangerous place for kids after all~ She thought to herself, hoping her advice would never be needed as long as she lived. "Lovejoy... if my daughter ever needs your help, I know you won't fail me." She whispered. She was more than confident of over twenty officers onboard to look after her daughter. But she chose only two. ~The best of the best eh~

Gallia heard Kara talking about this with Tay, and though she didn't like Lovejoy she knew he could be counted on, but not as much as Cdr. Taylor, but he'd do.

Baeryn stood back watching the exchange between mother and child with a smile on her face. The moment seemed private but she couldn't help how it warmed her heart. After a few moments she cleared her throat and said, "Anyone ready for Pizza?"

"Marines love pizza!" David said with a playful grin on his face.

"They do???" Tayalas asked, she needed to know this information, "Mommyy, can I be a mawine?"

"Well, I s'pose ye could." Gallia thought, "Ye may have te talk to Naxea farst."

David chuckled. "Miss Tayalas, if you get the okay, from both your parents and the good Colonel, I would be honored to give you some training. I'm a sniper, which is really cool."

The question seemed to bring a pause for Baeryn, studying this young child that lit up the room like no other for her caused a protective side to surface. She knew that Tayalas was not hers to mother and she would never step outside of the boundaries drawn for her, but regardless, her love for the child would never diminish. Though she feared any danger entering her young life she wanted her to follow her dreams... no matter what they may be.

"Easy there Cowboy, she's three!" Baeryn raised an eyebrow towards David but her lips still held a humorous smile.

"What?" David grinned. "Three year olds dont like water guns anymore?"

"Actually, she's not yet three.'' Gallia laughed, "But Baeryn 'as a point."

Grinning broadly, David raised his hands in surrender. "I yield! I yield! I know when I'm facing a superior force! Goddesses save me from these three lovely ladies!

"They's fouw of us, Dabid." Tayalas said, holding up for fingers, "But I bewieve you."

David smiled a genuinely beaming smile to Tayala;s as he replied. "Ah but, Miss Tayalas, you forget. You are more than just a beautiful little lady, you are also the most wonderful blueberry in all of creation! There is no defense against you at all!" He bowed in reverence to her.

"Tha's twue." Tayala's agreed, bowing back to David, she was going to like him, she could tell.

When David stood up, he gave little Tayala's a playful wink. He then addressed the other adults. "So, how long have you all known Baeryn?"

"Gallia was actually assistant chief of operations when I came on board, I sought her out to introduce myself and was pleasantly greeted by little miss Tay." Baeryn smiled at the memory. Taking a seat at the table she waited for the rest to follow but added, "She was soon promoted to Strategic Operations Officer."

David nodded approvingly as he slid into the chair to Baeryn's left. "That's a very impressive jump in responsibilities," he said to Gallia. "You must be very proud. And very good at your job." He gave her an honest grin as he spoke.

Kara smiled. Usually she kept her guard up around new people, especially when Tayalas was involved, but from watching she knew Tay was in good hands here. "To me, she's the best. The Elysium couldn't do without her and neither could I, in all honesty. The ship would fall apart without her."

"Well," David replied honestly, "Though I am the oldest one here, I am honored to be included in such an impressive group." He looked at each woman present as he spoke, even giving Tayalas a playful wink as he finished.

"Yeah, mommy Kawa Baeryn showed up when mommy was sweeping and I had to answew the doow." Tayalas began explaining, "She came in and gabe me a huggie hug and we woke mommy."

"I see!" David replied, smiling brightly. He then leaned in and whispered to Tayalas. "Baeryn gives awesome hugs, doesn't she?" He winked as he finished.

"Uh huh, Baeryn gibe great huggies." Tayalas smiled, "I wub her vewy much."

David leaned back in and whispered, "I love her too. To the stars and beyond!"

"You do? Then you should teww hew." Tayalas grinned, she had been worried that Baeryn might be lonely, "You can keep her happy at night."

"I do tell her. I tell her all the time. And, we have had a couple sleep overs, played some games, drank hot coco."

"Oooh, hot choccy." Tayalas smiled broadly, "I wike.''

Baeryn grabbed David's hand and squeezed gently as she watched the interaction between him and Tay. Leaning closer to him she kissed his shoulder. The night was going far better then she could have ever hoped.

Gallia couldn't help but smile at this, watching the two of them interacting like they were, though she had hoped that Baeryn would at least be somewhat broken up by Gallia's going back with Kara, but that wasn't the case.

Feeling Baeryn give his hand a squeeze and kiss his shoulder, he held up a finger to Tayalas. "Hold that thought." He then sat back up, turn to face Baeryn, move close enough that his lips were just behind her left ear, and whispered heavily. "You'll have your turn later, my love." He then kissed her ever so tenderly, that it was a promise for more to come. As he sat up, his cerulean eyes glowing for her. He smiled and winked, then slowly turned back to continue talking with Tayalas.

Baeryn rolled her eyes playfully but refused to let go of David's hand as she turned to Kara and Gallia. "So, is it too forward in inquiry on a wedding between you two?"

"Aye, that it is." Gallia smiled, "We're gettin' married soon, love."

Baeryn tilted her head a bit taking in the couple. Mentally she started comparing the Gallia before her to the sad one she had encountered so many months ago. Kara had such a positive affect on her friend it brought her joy.
"Any details you care to share?!" The hybrid tried to hide how giddy she felt thinking about weddings. While she waited for them to respond she grabbed a slice of pizza and brought it to her plate before picking off the pepperonis and popping them in her mouth.

Hearing the conversation that was taking place to his right, David winked at Tayalas. "We should probably have some pizza before they eat it all."


"Yeah, pizza, we get some befow they get it aww." Tayalas grinned, though she did hae a serious edge to her tone, "We get food."

Kara turned. "Marriage and pizza, count me in!" She moved to Tayalas to pick her baby girl up into her arms. "Aye, you want pizza and marrage too eh? The second one when your....much older though!"

David watched mother and daughter, a warm smile on his face. He gave Baeryn's hand an absent-minded gentle squeeze, as he thought about her holding their children in the same way.

"Wheeeee!" Tayalas grinned as she was picked up by Kawa, her mummy who was gone a few short days ago but now was here to stay.

It didn’t take a telepath to read the smile on David’s face as she watched the interaction between Kara and Tayalas. She had news to share with David, news she was putting off given everything he had recently gone through. Something in those ocean blue eyes gave her courage, and suddenly she was very eager for the two to be alone later that evening.


***OFF***