Old Friends, Old Loves - Part Three

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:13am by Fleet Captain Heather Walking Bear & Commander Patricia Walking Bear & Commander Jennifer Pravdin & Lieutenant Commander Korenna Walking Bear & Colonel James "Gryphon" McTaggert
Edited on on Fri Dec 16th, 2022 @ 5:45am

Mission: Mission 118: The Christmas from Hell
Location: Various Locations - Utgarde IV
Timeline: 1520Hrs - December 18th, 2393

Commander Jennifer Pravdin watched as the shuttle she was sitting in, entered the hanger of her sibling's home. She assisted her sibling in securing the shuttle from the flight, as the shuttle landed and spent the last of its exhaust vapours in the hanger.

Walking Bear popped the aft hatch as Pravdin rose from her chair. She followed her larger sibling out the shuttle where James McTaggert was waiting for the two of them. He smiled. "Hey ladies." as he gently gave Pravdin a hug. "Hello, Jen. It's good to see you."

"It's good to be seen, James. How's life?" Pravdin commented. She had always liked James McTaggert as he was utterly incapable of anything but total honesty. He was down to Earth and rather laid back. He wasn't Ryan Pravdin but he wasn't too far off either. He was a close second and she wasn't too discriminating either.

"I could complain. Mostly about the winter's cold." McTaggert answered before he welcomed his spouse with a hug and kiss. "The kids are waiting. Patricia and Korenna are here with their guys." he grinned. "They don't know you're here," he added.

Walking Bear grinned as she went into the house. Marie Walking Bear was standing there as she welcomed her mother with a silent hug. "Hey mom," she commented. "I started dinner. I wasn't sure of what everyone wanted so I'm making pizza... " the teen commented with a gentle smile.

"Thanks, Marie." Walking Bear grinned as she hugged her daughter back. "How is everyone?" she asked.

"Esher is enjoying the hot tub. Emmet is settling in. He's in the basement wanting to meditate. Iden is hanging out with Esher. Apparently, the two want to discuss science projects that go boom. As for Rwaren." Marie then slowly smiled. "Well. She's helping me with dinner." the teen commented. "John and James are hanging out with their cousins and Larkin is hanging out with Emmet. She wanted to trade notes with him about music," she added.

Walking Bear came into the main living area where Patricia was presently standing, with a glass of water in her hand. She was facing away from the door, facing her wife. Korenna suddenly grinned. "Patricia. Take one step to the left," she commented.

Patricia did so. Before she turned to find herself face to face with her elder sister who owned the house. Heather Walking Bear grinned as the two women shared a hug. "Hey, Heather." Patricia greeted her elder sister. "Thanks for letting my guys stay here." she paused. "Jen!" she all but screamed while she regarded her other sister who had just entered.

Jennifer Pravdin grinned as she hugged her sisters and then she gave Korenna a big hug as well before she kissed the other woman. "Hey, Korenna. It's great to see all you guys."

Patricia regarded Jen as she gently had her hands on her sibling's shoulders. "Where's your two?" she inquired.

"I left them on the Starbase as I didn't want to be demanding of Heather here," Pravdin answered softly. "I wanted to discuss her looking after my two while I advance my career with the Aquarius," she explained. "I'm being selfish. Losing Ryan was hard enough and now I'm giving up my children too." she paused. "It's almost too much," she added.

"I know. You worked so hard to get within striking distance of getting your own ship and then this happens." Patricia nodded her head. "In addition to the other issue." she then sighed softly.

It was clear to everyone what the other issue was. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the funeral," Patricia added quietly.

"You were on assignment. Everyone understood." Pravdin answered with a gentle smile. "It was a lovely service. Lots of lovely words were said and the deed was completed. Oh. Ryan would have hated the entire thing, from start to finish. He never saw funerals as for the dead, he saw them as being for the living."

"For us to gain closure and say goodbye," Heather commented quietly.

"What if I don't wanna say goodbye just yet.?" Pravdin had not planned to say it, she had not even considered she was going to say it, as she said it. Her eyes went wide as what she had said registered in her mind.

The reactions from everyone else around the room was equally surprising.
It was Korenna who spoke first. "I will not presume to speak to you of matters I know nothing about," she commented in her usual soft, dulcet tones. "But I am sorry. I cannot comprehend your loss as I have never been in that situation." she paused. "I have no idea of how I would react." and with that. She pulled Pravdin into her arms as she gave her a hug. "Ryan would not want you to grieve like this. Holding his memory so tightly."