Posted by Lieutenant Miriam Cross (Chief Medical Officer) in Alt time line - Sickbay

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Adebowale Mbala (Ship’s Dentist) in Alt time line - Sickbay
[snip]

Faith looked up from her job emptying the bedpans, as Dr. Cross returned to Sickbay. She could see Joe leaving had deeply affected her.

The door of her office was open, behind the desk was doctor Hunter, as Cross entered she took a deep breath. It did not take a person with a high mental acuity to realize she had been crying and the male doctor knew all to well the reason why .

He stood up and closed the door to give the CMO some privacy, walking over and putting both hands on her shoulders, knowing full well the relationship they had between her and Joe ‘’I’m so sorry Cross ‘’ he whispered, at that moment she took him rather by surprise wrapping her arms around him and sobbed her heart out ‘’I’ll never hear him calling me Miri ever again ‘’.

Now it was Hunter who tightly held her close to him, expressing sympathy and showing compassion as her body shook with each and every sob. The male doctor stood silent ,knowing there where no words to ease her distress.

Outside in Sickbay, Faith returned to her duties but also began to cry. She remembered how she had felt when Crewman Doolittle had left the Merrimack. She had been heartbroken, but it did result in her most productive period writing her novel. I must finish that one day, she thought. Still, Miriam had lost Joe from the Merrimack, not once, but twice, and there wouldn’t likely be a third time either.

• Faith

By now Cross had stopped bawling her eyes out ,Hunter took out chair for her putting a glass of milk in front of the female doctor. Cross eyed the milk ‘’The last time I was given a glass of milk was at the age of four or five by grandpa!’’ still thirsty as she was she took it.

Hunter then opened the door since Cross had finally composed herself ‘’Do you want to head to your quarters for some rest,I can give you a mild sedative to help you sleep ?’’ he asked but Cross shook her head ‘’Its best that I check on some patients ..keep my mind off things ‘’.

The male doctor nodded yes its for the best he thought.

As Cross looked around she saw some of the nursing wiping tears and blowing their noses .She turned to Kate ‘’Why are they crying, did the Cmdr have a relationship with them too ? the female doctor asked quiet shocked’’ The nursing officer did not quite know what to say …after all what would she know?.
‘’No doctor its just that you are not the only one who miss him and knowing his state of mind in the last previous weeks but don’t worry dear Mr Wong shall help him ‘’ she replied in a soft tone. Yet the CMO was stunned,dismayed and unable to get a word out.

Ade came out of his office to discover why it was that so many of the nurses were bawling in Sickbay. When he heard that Doctor Cross and Faith were in tears too, he just rolled his eyes and when back inside his very small office. He guessed that it was because Joe Milligan had left. It was unlikely to be because that quack psychiatrist had left. Always the mercenary, Ade was quite happy that Stan Wong had left as It meant that he might get his, slightly larger converted cleaner’s cupboard, for an office instead.

Ade had little to do as a Dentist but his workload had increased more recently after the crew had been joined by a few big-fanged alien species including the Catian, Cara Meow, and the twin Ontarian Raptors, Bogg and Badd. It was still nothing like that one time they had found the parasitic calcareous aliens.

• Ade, Ship’s Dentist

Cross stood there silently in a motionless manner, from all the crew on the ship now only the Captain knew about their kidnapped son…maybe when Joe found out ,although he had been strong for Miriam,inside he was battling demons of his own while putting on a brave face . Maybe she should have never divulged what had happened ,guess it was to little too late now and Cross had to keep it a secret .....now she was truly on her own.

Cross CMO.

Cross checked with the N.O about anyone who was in sickbay ,Kate gave her a Padd explaining ‘’He came in sickbay during the night with sever pain radiating in the neck,left arm and jaw .Initially Hunter ‘s first thought was that the crewman was having a heart attack but after examining him it was found that he was suffering from heartburn.He later admitted of consuming a heavy meal and went straight to bed until the pain woke him up ‘’ the female doctor nodded and headed towards his biobed.

Cross asked him how he felt and Richard confirmed he felt much better with the medication doctor Hunter gave him ‘’Now a bit of detailed advice, first and foremost reduce the portions ,its better to eat two small meals and make sure its not right before bedtime , I shall prescribe antacids for the acid reflux and protein inhibitor’s as treatment, I’m sure it will take awhile for you to forget the pain you felt ‘’ Cross spelt out to which Richard nodded .

‘’I’ll let you stay in sickbay for a couple of hours before discharging you ‘’The CMO patted his shoulder and smiled before heading to the next patient.

Cross CMO.