Posted by Ensign Charlie Bailey (Doctor) in Ensign Bailey’s Quarters - Side Sim

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=^= Ensign Bailey to Lt Cmdr Nunn… =^= she started as she sobbed. =^= Please could you come to my quarters if you’re free? =^= her voice crackling with emotion.

Dr Bailey

Avoiding her own nightmares, Katie had been perched on the couch of her quarters, reading a novel on a PaDD while sipping a cup of tea. Her brown hair was loose and she had immediately changed into her pajamas upon arriving in her quarters: a pair of Starfleet sweats. Well, it wasn’t the most official appearance but someone needed her. She threw the PaDD down on the couch and, sticking her feet into a fluffy pair of slippers nearby, she tapped her comm badge:

=/\= Nunn here. I’m on my way, Ensign. Sit tight. =/\=

The ensign’s emotion-filled voice spurred her movement and she ran through the corridors to the officer’s quarters, hitting the door chime moments later.

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS

Charlie jumped as the door chime went, not expecting that the counsellor would arrive so quickly. “Come in,” she said quietly as she tried to regain a bit of composure. As Katie entered she could see the young doctor curled up in a ball on the sofa, trembling and weeping. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy and her breathing was quick and shallow. She looked up at Katie with a look of fear in her eyes. “I…I’m sorry…sorry to disturb you ma’am…” she stammered as she tried to wipe the tears from her face. Her eyes were still darting around the room, half expecting her mother to jump out of a closet. With a trembling hand she picked up a glass of water from the table and took a shaky sip but her hands were trembling so much the glass clattered into her lap and then onto the floor. She looked down at the wet patch on her leg and instinctively began to shiver as she felt the cold water soak through to her skin.

Dr Bailey

As the door slid open, Katie’s trained eyes surveyed the situation in front of her for a beat and then she rushed in. Leaving the glass where it was as it fell to the ground, she sank down onto the sofa next to Bailey and wrapped an arm snuggly around her shoulder, gripping the ensign closely. Her blue eyes studied Bailey carefully as she asked, “can you tell me what happened?” As she awaited a response, she surveyed the room, looking for something to tuck around the shivering ensign.

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS

Charlie gratefully rested her head gently on Katie’s shoulder and pointed shakily to a blanket on the back of the sofa. She blinked a tear away and shook her head, still not sure what had happened. “It was a dream…” she stammered, “…I think it was…it felt so real…” she said, still shivering, unable to take her eyes off the door to the bedroom.

As she did, her breathing quickened and she felt her heart thumping as she thought back to the dream. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she drew her feet up onto the sofa and nervously began to retell the story.

“When I was 8, we lived on Ajilon Prime…” she started. “…we were attacked…there was a fire…” she continued as she closed her eyes. “…there’s smoke everywhere…Mimi’s screaming…” she started to tremble more as her memories took her back to that night. “…I can’t find my mum…!” she cried.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, full of terror. “I left her there!” She sobbed as she fought for breath. Between gasps she wept, her eyes fixed on the bedroom, “…she was here…she was in my room…so was so angry…!”

Dr Bailey

Katie dropped to her knees in front of Bailey, the lingering pain of her injury briefly sharp but quickly stuffed back into the recesses of her mind, and worked to pry the young woman’s hands off where she held her knees against her. Trapping them in her own hands, she squeezed them firmly, hoping the slight amount of pressure would get Bailey’s attention focused on her and start working to calm her overexcited nervous system.

“Look at me, Ensign,” she ordered gently but firmly, choosing to use the officer’s rank to try to get her to refocus on her. “Breathe with me… deep breath in… 1… 2… 3… and out… 1… 2… 3…”. She repeated the measured breathing several times, knowing that she couldn’t have a productive conversation with Bailey if she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Letting go of her hands, she got back to her feet and reached around Charlie to grab the blanket she had indicated. She wrapped it tightly around the ball of an ensign, swaddling her in the warmth and tightness around her. Leaving her hands firmly on Charlie’s shoulders and studying her carefully, she murmured, “whatever happened was not your fault, Charlie.” She pressed into her shoulders as a slight hug and a momentarily wave of relief came over that she had met her earlier in Sickbay and knew her first name. “You’re safe here,” she continued, her voice both soothing and firm at the same time.

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS

Charlie’s eyes stung with tears but she slowly managed to get her breathing under control. The blanket felt comforting around her and she began to relax a little, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Part of me knows that…” she replied quietly, her voice still fragile with emotion. “…but I just can’t get rid of this guilt…” she whispered, her hands trembling. She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath. “How do I forgive myself?” she asked earnestly as pulled the blanket tighter around her. As her thoughts dwelt on that night, a wave of nausea came over her. “I’m sorry…” she muttered as she shrugged the blanket off and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

Katie had been about to answer when Charlie dashed off toward the bathroom. She quickly followed, remaining outside the door to give Bailey some privacy while remaining available in the event that she was needed.

Having regurgitated her dinner, Charlie sat in silence on the bathroom floor for a moment, waiting for the feeling to pass. She slowly got up and splashed some cold water on her face, allowing it to soothe her flushed cheeks. As she brought her head up and looked in the mirror, her mother’s charred face stared back at her. Charlie screamed and instinctively punched the mirror, falling backwards into the wall with a mighty clunk as her head hit the bulkhead.

Dr Bailey

Katie heard the water in the sink and moved to enter the bathroom, planning to offer the ensign a cup of tea to try to settle her stomach. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched the ensign punch at the mirror in front of the sink and then the sickening crack as her head hit the bulkhead. Cursing lightly under her breath, she sank to her knees next to the young woman. A brief thought that she should have gone into psychiatry and not psychology crossed through her mind as she checked to make sure that she was breathing and had a pulse.

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS