VIP Quarters

[Special Envoy Bryson Kavanaugh]

Having thanked Yeoman Rand for escorting them to their quarters, Brice stepped through the doorway into the VIP quarters. Nice, very nice, he thought, with a smile.

He turned back and took in his wife and daughter. "Welcome to our new home away from home for the time being!" He held out his arms as though he had set everything up just so for them.

Just then, a few young crewmembers came to the door carrying their bags. Brice directed them where to put their things before thanking them and once again having the room empty except for his family.

"Well I don't have to be anywhere for a little while yet. What would you both like to do?"

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[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

She'd followed them as the officers chatted and once they reached the indicated quarters she walked in and was pleasantly surprised. There were huge windows the curved up the wall and two bedrooms. Alex immdiately claimed the smaller one and when the bags arrived she started directing traffic with her father.

Welcome to our new home away from home for the time being!"

Kathleen smiled at him. He was certainly happy to be back on a star ship. She giggled and watched the experienced pair begin to settle them in.

"Well I don't have to be anywhere for a little while yet. What would you both like to do?"

"I have no clue..." she started before Alex broke in with about 12 ideas of what they needed to see. She just shook her head and said "I guess I'll just let Alex show me around the ship."

She moved across the room to Brice "you look happy to be back!" she said and put her arms around his waist.

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[Special Envoy Bryson Kavanaugh]

"you look happy to be back!"

"I am," he snaked his own arms around her, pulling her closer to him, "But I'm even happier to have you here with me." He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. The sound of Alex in the background making some strange noises at the sight of them kissing 'again' as she was wont to say, made him break away with a smile.

"I think Alex would much rather enjoying giving you a tour than watching us," Brice winked at Kathleen, a wink that held much promise for later.

"I hope you'll like it here with us." He spoke quietly, reaching up to tuck a strand of her her hair that had come free behind her ear. "It doesn't have to be for long. We can always go back to your....our house," Brice smiled again at the thought of that particular gift. "Once this mission is over I can put in a request for a different assignment." Brice watched Kathleen. He loved what he did, but he loved her more. They would see what she thought of life on a galaxy. There would be plenty of time to decide what avenue his career should take. Only time would tell. Time and the woman he held in his arms.

Tag Kathleen/Any

[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

"But I'm even happier to have you here with me."

She'd told him she'd go anywhere with him and she'd meant it. She had traveled on Starliners before but never a Starfleet vessel. This would be a new experience for her and she wasn't certain she could do what he needed her to do. Live on a Starship for years at a time. She returned his quick kiss.

"I think Alex would much rather enjoying giving you a tour than watching us,"

She smiled at Alex who was bouncing around the room. She was another reason she wanted to try and make their home here. They'd grown close and she couldn't imagine life without either one of them. She smiled, if it were up to a family vote... they'd live aboard.

"I hope you'll like it here with us. It doesn't have to be for long. We can always go back to your....our house, Once this mission is over I can put in a request for a different assignment."

She put her palm in the middle of his chest. "You have a big job to do here Brice. Obviously Starfleet needs you." Then she smiled softly into his deep amber eyes. "Don't count me out just yet." she gave a little nod and lifted her brows. "Ok? Because I'm not."

She wanted to try this for both of their sakes. She knew what he was in an intellectual way but she knew there was much still to learn about this aspect of him. She knew the man she'd grown to care for and then love as he'd recovered from the illness that almost claimed his life. She knew first the tormented then later the loving and romantic Brice but this Captain Kavanaugh was still a mystery.

She'd caught that first flash of the Captain in the moment he'd greeted her father as an equal. Not many people greeted Eric Memphis in that fashion. His manner was just solid confidence, respect and more that was difficult to explain. He was professional and diplomatic and he knew it... it was beautiful to watch someone not overawed by her father.

"Alex," she said as her hand slid down to his and squeezed it. "What should I see first?" she smiled, they'd had conversations of the sights aboard a Galaxy class starship and she'd done some studying they didn't know about. "and don't tell me it has anything to do with a Jeffery thingy."

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[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

Alex had waited nearly as long as she could stand. It had been months since she'd had the run of a starship and she couldn't wait to go visit some of the places she had grown to love. She knew it wasn't the same as her dad's last ship, but it was as close to it as she was going to get.

"Come on Kiki," Alex called out excitedly. "I bet I know my way around already. These Galaxy ships are all built pretty much the same." Alex shifted impatiently from foot to foot, shooting a look at her dad to hurry up so she could take Kiki on a whirlwind tour of everything. As she waited, she couldn't help but grin. Kiki was hers now, too, not just her dad's. They had made that official with the adoption papers, and Alex couldn't have been more proud. Maybe soon, she'd bring up the question that was still lingering in her mind.

"No Jefferies tubes," she grinned, "well at least not yet!" Alex was so happy, she was simply near to bursting right out of her skin. "Hmm, we could go to the holodecks, but you probably know about them with papa and all. I guess we can't go to the bridge, can we?" She looked over at her dad and when she saw his reaction she knew that wasn't possible. She'd been lucky enough to see the bridge on his ship's before, but this was not, after all, his ship.

Biting her lip, she thought. Where should they go first?

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[Special Envoy Bryson Kavanaugh]

"You have a big job to do here Brice. Obviously Starfleet needs you." Then she smiled softly into his deep amber eyes. "Don't count me out just yet." she gave a little nod and lifted her brows. "Ok? Because I'm not."

"That's why I love you," he whispered before she turned to speak to Alex. Alex, whose sheer enthusiasm was almost like watching a rocket reach for the stars.

"Alex," he said, trying to hide his amusement, "You'll have plenty of time to show Kathleen around. We'll be here for at least a few weeks or more." He gave Kathleen's hand a squeeze.

"I'd love to join you, but I should really get things in order before I have any meetings on this mission." He hoped Kathleen would understand. Then turning back to Alex he shared his idea, "Why don't you show Kathleen some of your favorite places from the Crudaigh. Ten Forward. The Cetacean labs. Science labs. I don't think they'll let you in engineering without some finagling on my part, but I'll see what I can do." Alex's wide-eyed stare at that thought nearly made him chuckled outloud. "Not today though, but I'll see what I can do munchkin."

He turned so he was looking at Kathleen, "Go and enjoy yourself. I'll join you soon. Either I'll find you or Alex will find me. She always does." He leaned forward and planted a rather chaste kiss, for Alex's sake and his own sanity, on her lips.

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[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

"Come on Kiki," Alex called out excitedly. "I bet I know my way around already. These Galaxy ships are all built pretty much the same." Kathleen laughed, Alex was so happy to be back aboard she had hardly slept the night before.

She'd crashed with her head in Kathleens lap on the ride out. She had so much informatio nto assimilate and while she'd taken a quick orientation class at Starfleet it had been basically ship board safety. Admiral Longher had been incredibly kind and supportive of all of them and accomodating of Kathleen by allowing her along.

Wild horses wouldn't have been able to keep her from Brice's side so soon after their wedding. The Admiral had come knocking on their door the moment they were back from their honeymoon.

She kept ahold of his hand while they talked. "We don't have to see everything today sweetheart." she said to Alex. "We do need to get unpacked later though and daddy has to work. So let's get out of here for a bit."

They'd gotten an early start and she was a little hungry. "How about 10 Forward for a start for something to eat and we can decide where we go after that?"

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[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

"Ten Forward it is!" Alex declared with an almost triumphant look as though she had won something. Moving up to Kathleen she grabbed her hand and started to tug her to the door.

"We'll see you soon, daddy." Alex called out with a wave over her shoulder, excited to be taking Kathleen around the ship. She turned to her and grinned. "You'll love ten-forward. It's better than a plain old boring replimat."

Tag Kathleen - then End Alex

[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

"Ten Forward it is!"

She turned as she was dragged toward the door and with a giant grin blew Brice a kiss. "I guess I'll be going now." she laughed. "Don't work too hard hun." she said in a cautionary tone.

She was going to have to make contact with the Chief Medical Officer at some point fairly soon. Her face was a bit more serious after she turned away and followed Alex out the door.

Tag Brice/End Kathleen

[Special Envoy Bryson Kavanaugh]

Brice smiled lovingly as he watched his daughter and his wife leave their quarters together. Yes, she was finally his wife. Wife. That word made him feel as though his heart was so full. He'd had this experience once before, with his first wife, Katrione. Yet, this time, somehow it was different, stronger almost. He had been much younger when he'd met Katrione. Now, he felt as though the fates had given him another chance with Kathleen. One he would not let anything happen to. He was happier than he could remember.

With a smile still on his face, Brice gathered his PADDs and supplies, contacted his aides and headed to the small room they had designated for their work. They had much to get together before this mission went underway and Brice wanted to be ready for his first assignment since his illness.

End Brice