Posted by Lieutenant Nathan Harland (Counselor) in Harland quarters - Where in the universe is Molly Kendrick

Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in Harland quarters - Where in the universe is Molly Kendrick
It was quiet in the quarters at 0130 in the morning. Chloe has woken up to go to the bathroom as was typical for someone pregnant. Once up she decided to grab a snack and a quick drink. Standing in front of the fridge, she looked a the list of baby names that continued to grow there. Olivia, Emma, Ava, Isabella, Charlotte, Mia, Amelia: All were contenders except for one with a black line through it.

Nate was the first to strike one Sophia from the list which Chloe thought was hysterical. For being the bane of the department, Sophie Mynah was stuck to his hip like mortar to a brick. Walking by their therapy room at times it sounded like Nate was talking to his own daughter instead of a patient. Chloe traced her finger down the list as she drank a glass of water before bed. Life was good and continued to get better with each passing day. It had only been a week since they had visited Stevenson and found out the sex of their child yet for Chloe it was like a weight had been lifted off her. The loud sound of the comm system going of snapped her out of her daydream making her run to the device. It was a rarity to have both kids in their own beds asleep. In the year following Maddie’s death, Chloe had replaced ate with their children in her bed. The transition of her husband back to his spot was not as easy as one thought it might be especially with Logan. It wasn’t until Nate had moved back home did she realize Logan was waking his sister up to journey to their parent’s bed in the middle of the night.

Activating the comm call, Chloe found the face of her sister in law Nicole, red-eyed and hysterical. Lowering the volume so that only she could hear, Chloe took a deep breath. There was little love lost between Kevin and Nathan. Kevin was the one who tended to throw the most barbs but Nathan wasn’t always innocent about not poking the bear. “Nicole, what’s wrong? Is it my parents,” Chloe instantly jumped to a conclusion. Her mom had recently begun the passive-aggressive guilt trip about being older and not able to see all her grandkids. The outpost was good for her and Nate. One day they would return to Earth but right now Chloe felt that without the pressures of family, she and Nate might be able to patch things up.

“Molly is gone,” she sobbed laying her head down on the desk.

“Wait what do you mean gone,” Chloe looked at the bedroom door where Nate was already in bed. Her gut told her to wake him up but he worked a double today and had the kids most of the night as she worked. He was pulling more of his weight than he should be.

“I didn’t want to call at this hour but Kevin says not to bother you and I don’t know what to do. We have looked everywhere? Did she call you by any chance,” she sobbed loudly forcing Chloe to drop the volume even more.

“No. Did you contact the authorities,” Chloe transferred the call to her PaDD and headed back to the kitchen area. Reaching up into the cabinet she pulled out a few pills from her bottle stuffed on the top shelf. She had bottles of them stuffed everywhere but the thought of her sixteen-year-old niece lost increased her anxiety level tenfold.

“Yes and they are looking but they told us she would be back in the morning. That was ten days ago Chloe,” Nicole said. Her voice was warbling some as she stood on the verge of panic.

“Ten days,” Chloe stood with a shocked expression on her face. She had spoken to her mom every day for the past month but no one thought to tell her that her niece had gone missing.

“No one would let me talk to you. They didn’t want you to worry but the officer just came by and told us that we should prepare that,” Nicole’s voice broke into a fit of tears and hiccuping coughs as she fought to not finish the sentence. Chloe’s stomach dropped as she filled in what Nicole could not say. Stumbling back, she hit the wall and slid down it not able to process all this information.

“Nicole I am coming home,” Chloe said finally finding her words. “I am going to get the kids and be on the next shuttle okay. Don’t worry. We will find her,” Chloe replied slowly standing. “Give me an hour to get some clothes into a bag and I will call you back okay.” Chloe was starting to feel a bit calmer as the drugs started to kick in. Making her way to the bedroom, she found she did not have to be quiet because Nate was already up and on the phone.

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Harland Bedroom at the same time
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“Nate I am sorry to wake you up but I need you to come down to the cafe,” Evie’s voice was calm but firm.

“Evie… this better not be about that girl you saw Mathia ‘flirt’ with. I told you being nice to someone doesn’t equal flirting.” Nathan said as he pressed his thumb and index finger over his eyes as he tried to focus on what was being said.

“No and we can talk about that over coffee tomorrow when I come to see you at ten,” she waved him off. While she did officially book an appointment with Nathan at least once a week, Evie saw their sessions more of two friends having coffee than therapy. Nathan was just so busy she couldn’t get any time to talk to him. Maybe she would start doing the same thing with her nephew. Aedan was always working and while he stopped by every day before and after work to pick up coffee, she always wanted more time with him too.

“This is not a drunk or a young crewman who broke up with some guy. This is a kid and she has no money or place to go. She seems like she hasn’t eaten in a while because I can’t fill her up. When she mentioned she couldn’t pay and I said don’t worry about it,” she has not stopped eyeing the door. It is one thirty in the morning. I am not going to be responsible for her roaming the station alone at this hour so it is you or security,” she said firmly.

“Fine, fine… I’ll… give me ten minutes,” he said as he pulled himself to the side of the bed as his eyes darted around looking for the pants he had taking over before sliding into bed. Looking up he saw Chloe coming in as he squinted as he tried to have his eyes focus on her.

“You’re up,” Chloe said turning the lights on low as she moved to the closet to get a bag. “What’s wrong?” Things never happened one at a time in life. Whatever had Nathan up meant he had his own issues.

“Why do you seem so worried,” he said softly as he began to pull the pants on, finding himself off balance slightly as he tried to keep himself upright as he grabbed for the nightstand to settle himself.

Nathan Harland

“I’m not worried,” she said moving to the dresser and opening a drawer. “I just got a call from Nicole. I need to go home for a while. My parents are fine but Molly is gone. I kept telling Kevin he couldn’t be so hard on Molly.” Pulling out a bottle from her dresser she dry swallowed another tablet. She had to remain calm. She would be no help to anyone if she let herself fall into hysterics like Nicole had. =/\=Computer when is the next shuttle leaving the Outpost for Earth=/\= she asked as she pulled an assortment of clothes from the dresser and stuffed them into the bag.

=/\=The next departure for Earth is zero four hundred hours=/\= the artificially tinny voice replied back.

=/\=Computer book three passages for Harland Chloe, Harland Logan, and Harland Mara=/\= she stated in a calm voice. The meds were calming her now. Her voice had lost the tremble and shakiness of the panic she felt just five minutes before.

“I am going to head to Earth with the kids tonight. Can you talk to Mathias and follow me there later,” she asked pulling a winter coat and gloves out laying them on the bed as she pulled off her pajamas. “I can tell the clinic I am going on maternity leave early. I know you will have to do some shuffling with your patients so I will keep you up to date until you get there. Nicole is out of her mind with worry. I can’t blame her. She told me I was the only one that understands whats going on and that she needs me. Nate,” she spun around to look at him, “I have to go. My family needs me.”

Chloe