[snip]

She had never forgotten that Faith was ready to take care of her baby since Cross had no family to call her own…she was ready to sacrifice her career for Miriam’s child.

“I’m only going to Starfleet Medical, and you encouraged me to do that, but I don’t have any plans to return to the Merrimack if I graduate. No! I need to begin a life of my own,” Faith replied. “I’ve told you before about how the Captain rescued my mother and I, so I have this great debt to him, but it’s a debt that I must have repaid several times over now. I hate this position of Yeoman. I’m his personal assistant, but I’m his dogsbody - I feed the cat and empty its litter tray - I’m a general household servant rather than a secretary. I spend a large part of the day just picking up PaDDs left behind. And I could have been… I could still be so much more. I could have been a Doctor like you! So, staying on the Merrimack just holds me back. But of course I’ll miss you all if I did leave permanently.”

Cross listened as her long time friend said she was indeed going to leave ‘’Your uncle would understand ,you’re a grown woman now and can make your own decisions ‘’ the doctor made eye contact ‘’ I shall miss you Faith ‘’ Cross hugged her ‘’You were always good to me but please don’t be angry with Glen, cause in his own mind he’s still keeping that promise and probably is unaware that you are now reasoning as an adult ‘’ Cross managed a smile ,then taking a deep breath she continued ‘’I once left everything behind to pursue my dreams of becoming a doctor ......guess now its your turn to do the same ‘’.

Yet Cross wondered how Glen would take such news, was he aware of Faith’s feelings or perhaps he was waiting for the moment when his niece would decide to leave and had already contemplated that day would eventually come?.

“Yes, my feelings exactly! Why do you ask if I’m planning to leave permanently anyway?” Faith asked Miriam. “You knew I was going to study at Starfleet Medical, and it’s not like after that fateful mission… as if you’d ever want me to take care of your baby!” Faith laughed.

‘’That’s not true , the reason was I did not want you to sacrifice your career and guess I keep asking cause its hard for me to accept that I’m about to lose a dear friend ‘’ .
Indeed Cross felt a keen sense of sadness yet she also realized the time had come for Faith to leave for good and the CMO didn’t want her to see that she was sad about it ‘’Oh well we did have some good times together didn’t’ we? Remember when I stole that map and you kept quiet about it !’’ .

Cross moved a few steps away ‘’Guess is time to tell your uncle ,keep your fingers crossed that he won’t end up in sickbay due to shock ‘’ this time there was a hint of humor in her voice.

“You keep saying it like I’m never ever coming back!” Faith replied. “…but stealing that map. I still don’t know what possessed you to do that… and you were going to get into so much deep water over it until it turned out that the Merrimack needed the map anyway, and then everything was Jim Dandy, and everyone forgot that you had actually stolen it! What extraordinary luck that you have Miriam!”

Cross lowered her head as she put a hand over her stomach ‘’Luck Faith ? Maybe some day , anyway I do hope that our paths shall cross again ‘’.

“Stop it please!” Faith replied. “I’ll have to come back to visit uncle John!” she laughed. “…but you must know that I’ve been seeing Dariusz Pokorski from the Bridge. I think it might be serious… so, I’ll have to come back to see him too… then there is my favourite Doctor… no not him silly… you of course!”

’’ Really you and Dariusz are seriously dating ?That’s nice to know he seem to be a good guy ‘’ it was then that Cross decided to tell her friend ‘’ Guess what, Joe and I are trying for a baby , if it happens his family we’ll care for him or her ‘’ she could not contain her excitement at the prospect of becoming a mother ‘’ I can’t help but love that twerp !’’ the doctor exclaimed ‘’ I have only told you, please keep it to yourself and when you visit your uncle don’t be surprised to find the cat sitting on his lap ,its his pet and its about time he takes the responsibility of taking care of it ‘’ as the image of the Captain on the bridge with his cat Cross burst out laughing .

Faith was too surprised to reply. Obviously, she would keep it a secret, but it was the last thing she had expected with all of the problems Cross herself had experienced from the enforcement of the Federation Laws preventing any individuals found with genetic enhancement from practicing medicine or serving in Starfleet.

• Faith, yeoman