Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Leah Hart (Nurse Practitioner/Counseling) in Temp Quarters- Assessing the Situation

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Temp Quarters- Assessing the Situation

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Leah Hart (Nurse Practitioner/Counseling) in Temp Quarters- Assessing the Situation

(snip)

When Leah rang the chime (out of courtesy) and stepped in, she gave Roman a small smile at the sight of the violin. “How are we doing?”

~Leah Hart, NP

“I’m fine,” Roman said, though the tune of his music told a different story. It was somber and sad, but there was just the slightest touch of hope in it. A little trill throughout the somber notes. “How was your… decompression time, Lieutenant?”

~ Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“Good,” she said honestly. “It’s unusual for someone in my position to do intense sessions like this for such a duration. It’s good for both practitioner and patient to have a break and breath.”

“Sorry.” He wasn’t sure what for, but he felt the need to apologize, which was unusual for him.

Leah shook her head. “I appreciate that, but it’s not necessary. I continued because it felt crucial we did, because I felt like if we didn’t push past some things we might never. And to be honest Roman, too much was riding on our discussions. I wanted to you have a fighting chance.”

“The music is beautiful. It sounds different than the piece you played for me over subspace. What do you think the difference is?”

~Leah Hart, NP

“Time. I rarely write down my music.” He shrugged. “I simply play what I like.”

~ Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

She nodded with a smile as she came to sit on the edge of the bed where she had been an audience so many hours earlier when he played the Spanish music for her. “I understand that. I danced the same way when I wasn’t competing or training for competition. Sometimes you just have to let the music take you where it wants to. Does it feel easier to play right now?”

~Leah Hart, NP

“It feels like all I’ve got right now,” Roman replied. “That and Rand, of course.”

~ Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Leah gazed at him deeply for a moment and nodded again. “Sometimes when we have a great deal to lose, we feel the need to hold on to what we can more tightly. That’s not a bad thing, Roman. You’re allowed to take solace in the things that bring you joy, even if it looks different to how others might describe joy.”

~Leah Hart, NP

“My animals, my work, those bring my joy.” Roman said. He picked up the rabbit, Pipkin, as he said it, and gave her some scratch by the ears. “My music does, too, I suppose. But my studies are everything to me.”

~ Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“I know,” she said with sincerity. “There is a difficult balance in our lives to find between having things we can sink ourselves into for the joy of it, and not letting them distract us from the things we need to give our attention to. Right now, as I think you do know and understand, you needed work not not take the place of the personal work that has been waiting for you. I know it’s not been easy. And the concern now if how to have you ease into things and not just allow work to become the full focus again. Because if you jump in fully straight away, you will regress, and you won’t process what’s happened in the last few days. You need to take the time to process all of it, over time, and with help.”

~Leah Hart, NP

Roman frowned, hugging Pipkin gently. “What about a strict hours worked limit? Or lab work but no XO duties?” He could compromise when he had to. Unwillingly.

~ Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO