Chapter Text
From: Number_one_Pike
To: Spock's_cuddlebunny; Jim's_cuddlebear
Time arrived: 01/26/2261 00:00:01
Subject: I actually hit the send button this time. (I hope)
You'll be so happy to know that I actually sent this reply. At least, I hope I did. If I find this in my unsent emails in a month, you'll get something with a completely different subject line.
I wish the babies would make it to March, but twins tend to be born early. I'm hoping they are February babies and not January babies like you. I haven't got pictures from your not-a-birthday yet. I'm expecting lots.
I did get pictures from the kids at the cliffs, and it looks like it was a lot of fun. I'm so sorry you were stuck in boring meetings instead of getting to dance in the rain. Everybody should get to dance in the rain at least once on a strange alien planet. There are moments when I really miss not being in space. But I think I'm going to be landlocked for a while. It's a little necessary with twins.
I don’t like the schmoozing. Unfortunately, it is part of the job. And there is a lot of that with my current position. I don’t even want to think about the New Year’s parties. There are also moments that I feel like I'm being paraded out as the pregnant Widow. Thankfully, they only have a few more months to use me that way.
Despite that part, I like the students and the work I'm doing currently. So I will deal with it at least until maternity leave. Let's just say I'm glad my time on Yorktown will be maternity leave and not a working vacation. Unless the twins show up super early. However, I think you get more parental leave for preemies. I don’t wanna look that up because then I’ll end up jinxing us. I really don’t want super preemies.
I’m sure you’re happy not to be stuck in boring meetings anymore. Or engaging in high amounts of Starfleet diplomatic ass-kissing. Missions are always better unless they involve quality time with diplomats. Have you discovered anything interesting? Did anything weird happen? At least anything weird you can tell me.
So, Christmas was good. Rebecca can cook, and it was nice to have a non-replicated homemade meal. The babies liked it, and therefore, it stayed down. I'm one of those women that has third-trimester morning sickness. (I thought I was done with this.) They definitely prefer non-replicated food. The twins are picky eaters.
I got your Christmas presents. You did not have to get me so much stuff. Although I absolutely adore the rocking chair. It's vintage, and I don't know how you managed to order that from the middle of nowhere, but I appreciate it. I also love the “my Big Brother is a Starfleet captain” Onesie. It’s so adorable. Thank you for that. Also, thank you for the Spa day gift card. I am definitely going to need that before the babies get here. I can’t believe there is a mommy to be package. I’m going to enjoy it.
I am so sorry about the situation with the Elder. Don't feel bad for telling me about it because I got a seven-page email from Winona. What I got from you was nothing compared to the epic rant I read there. Also, it is best that you don't know the details of what happened when Winona went to see him. Just know that your mom will always go to bat for you.
I think it’s better that you know what’s coming and that you can prepare yourself instead of his death being a shock. My mom was sick for a long time, and I could say goodbye to her. I have no regrets, and there are no unsaid words between us. I even got to hold her hand as she passed. Chris pulled off a miracle and got me shore leave just in time. That might’ve been when I fell in love with him.
Because of how it happened, there are many things I never told Chris, and I have many regrets. We had a life we were planning together. He should be with me for the birth of our babies, and he's not. Of course, it was my choice to still go through with the pregnancy. I don't regret that decision. However, I miss him more now; I don't think it's all the pregnancy hormones. I’m still grieving the life we could’ve had. Because if I knew my time with Chris would be so limited, I would've made very different life choices. But I didn't know.
You can’t really prepare to lose someone you love. Because even if you know it's happening, it will still be a punch to the heart. But at least it's a controlled punch. You can take precautions to prevent it from worsening.
It's OK for you to worry about how this will affect Spock. You want him healthy and with you for as long as possible. Finding out that he is genetically predisposed to a terminal health condition can obviously contribute to your anxiety. However, this unique situation allows you the opportunity to address the situation now. There’s an older saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s best for your peace of mind to work on this now. It’s always better if you feel like you’re doing something instead of just sitting there passively.
Anyway, I'll expect more pictures. Also, a new ultrasound is attached. Rebecca was kind enough to be my escort to the appointment. They're really getting big.
Xxx
From: Spock’s_cuddlebunny;
To: Number_one_Pike
CC: Jim’s_cuddlebear
Time sent: 01/26/2261 22:12:01
Subject: Email received.
We did get your email and attachments. You had the best Christmas sweater. Thank you so much for the latest ultrasound. I absolutely adore it, and I'm glad Rebecca could go with you. The twins look so cute. I think one of them was sucking their thumb. Per the baby books, that seems kind of normal. It also says it is highly probable the twins will be February babies. Although I'm hoping for late February.
Maybe it will coincide with our time on Starbase, and I can do a live video chat. Regardless I will do video chat here, but if we're on base, I might be able to watch the entire birth and virtually coach you through. I wish I could be there, but video coaching would be the next best thing.
I am not surprised my mom sent you a multipage rant. I’m just glad she’s telling these things to somebody. She has a tendency to keep things in. Her last letter to Peter was super short. It’s obvious she ended prematurely because she mentioned Tarsus. Just thinking about that place always brings her down. But hey, at least she is not going straight for the bottle. That is progress, at least.
You're right. I don't want to know what Winona did to the Elder. Whatever mom did got through to the Elder, and he's less resigned to death and is now trying to fight this. He was willing to consult with Bones, and my genius doctor friend had some ideas. Now that the Elder's team has my Honeybear’s medical records, they're willing to try some stuff. I don't know if this will fix things, but maybe it will give us more time.
I think you're right that this will hurt regardless, but at least I'll have closure. Every day there are so many questions I wish I could've asked Arlene. Why did she keep Peter from us for so long? Why did she choose me?
She died in the other timeline as well. The only difference was Sam died at the same time. Because, of course, the weird alien parasite showed up in both timelines. It happened sooner here because a butterfly flapped its wings in the neutral zone, and that butterfly was Nero.
Peter ended up with someone else in that timeline. I don't know who, and I'm not going to ask. I would love to know if she chose me because this version of James Tiberius Kirk is a stable, mature person or if I was the only one left.
I miss her. I don't know why because she was out of my life for so long before she died. But it still hurt to see her die in front of me. I hate that Peter doesn’t have his mom anymore. I hate that her being gone led me to actually getting to be a dad. Which turned out to be something I really wanted but thought I could never have after the Vengeance incident left me sterile. There are a lot of weird emotions there.
At least with the Elder, we can say goodbye. We have time to make memories during these last few months, such as dancing in the rain on the cliffs or getting covered in cake by the Sulu babies. They adore their great-grandfather. I have attached pictures of that, and it was super cute. I'm sending them to you just in case no one else has. I will make the most of the time we have going forward.
Of course, we got you a present even though Christmas isn't your thing. Think of them more as baby shower gifts. Liz came up with the idea to get you the spa gift certificate. She did something similar for Sue before she had baby D. Sue loved it and said it was the only time in her pregnancy when her back didn't hurt. I think you might be getting a truckload of slightly loved baby things from the Sulu-Chens. It made more sense for them to ship them to you in London, then keep them in storage. Actually, I think that might be where the rocking chair came from. Although the chair looked familiar, it wasn't from us. We got you mostly the clothes and the rocking horse. There may be other things coming your way. I may have gone a little overboard in the shopping. It was a light day.
Oh god, yes, we’re starting to find weird things again. Last week it was Fraggles. This morning it was plants that eat ensigns. Don't worry, we didn't lose a redshirt, just a hand. Spock decided we would use bots to get the rest of the soil samples. We are going to leave the plants alone for now. The plan is to observe for a few days to determine which plants are ensign eaters.
I am so glad we sent Sulu down because he was able to use his fencing skills to free the ensign. Yes, he actually stabbed the plant with his retractable probe.
I’m gonna have to send the lapel cam footage to headquarters and my admiral just for her to believe it. I’m just glad it’s just desolated moons and non-habitable planetoids after this. Then we can drop the VSA scientists off and work on the ship. We were approved for a new kids' recreational room. I will take this as a sign that the kids onboard ships program will continue. I hope so, at least.
Anyway, I have to go help Peter with his homework. I’ll talk to you later.
PS: Honeybun will send you the kids' Winter Break research project. It’s probably going to make you super angry. The admiral was when we sent it to her. I got one hell of an emergency message. But hey, at least I know mom will be back on earth soon, just in time for Lamaze class.
To be continued