“Shh, it’s alright sweetie. Just go to sleep. Daddy is right here.”
I’d just fed her, and burped her. Her diaper had recently been changed. Her tiny cries made my heart break in two. I ran a large hand over her tiny head. She just wouldn’t stop crying. Beverly came over to the heated basinet and carefully picked her up.
“What is it sweetheart?”
Laura just kept crying. I was almost at a loss as to comfort her. Q flashed into existence right in front of my eyes.
“Not now Q!”
Q only pretended to cover his ears and grimace at Laura’s cries.
“Can’t you stop her squawking? For looking like an Arronian Chicken Wing, she has some powerful set of lungs. Those beady eyes are a bit frightening though. I suppose I could make the child bigger. Would this suffice?”
Q waved a hand over Laura’s bawling form and she fit the entire length of Beverly’s arm. Alyssa scanned Laura with a medical tricorder. Astonished, she spoke up.
“Incredible doctor. Laura’s weight and height have almost tripled. She now weigh’s 2.72 kilos.”
Laura’s little bottom lip began to tremble as she continued to cry. She looked completely healthy, but I knew that this wasn’t right. Laura had to grow the right way. I was about to protest what was happening, when Deanna stepped in. Her petite form shaking with anger.
“Q! Don’t you even think about touching my baby! Get out! You so much as touch a hair on Laura’s head, and there isn’t a place on this ship you’ll be able to hide from me.”
I could feel her anger, but I sat in silence and watched the scene in front of me unfold.
“Well, well, counselor, this is a rare sight. You getting angry. You have my word as me being generous, I’ll revert your daughter back to what she was.”
Deanna tugged on Q’s arm momentarily her eyes filled with annoyance.
“You call Laura an Arronian Chicken wing again and I’m sure that the Q would agree with me to some extent that you are going too far with your little games.”
That got Q to swallow hard and wave his hand over Laura who turned back to what she was.
“You wouldn’t dare Counselor.”
Deanna nodded her head seriously.
“I would Q. You’ve harassed us more than enough times. Its time you leave us alone. Your games are getting on my nerves. Now leave!”
It was the first time I’d ever seen Q’s face pale. In a flash, he was gone. Deanna looked a bit flustered, I didn’t blame her. I saw her sway on her feet a little and steadied her. Leading her over to a bio-bed, I had her sit down on it.
“I’m ok, it’s just Q makes me mad sometimes.”
I nodded my head in agreement. Laura’s tiny arms flailed a little as Beverly tried rocking her. She turned to us and spoke.
“Well, she’s not hungry, and Will, you just changed her. She could be just tired and cold. Deanna, why don’t you try holding her under a blanket?”
Beverly carefully placed Laura into Deanna’s arms, and she saw tears begin to form in her eyes. I put a hand on the small of her back and rubbed it. Laura seemed to notice the warmth of Deanna. Her little fingers trying to grab pieces of Deanna’s hair. I placed a blanket over her shoulder and listened to Laura’s tiny murmurs of happiness.
“Don’t worry sweetheart, just go to sleep. Mommy’s got you. There nice and warm.”
I cherished every moment of this. It would still be three more months until Laura would be able to go back home. The stress of the last few days was finally beginning to sink in. I sunk down on a bio-bed next to the one Deanna was sitting on.
“I’m beat, I think I’ll have a nap. Wake me if anything happens Imzadi.”
Deanna nodded and rocked back and forth with Laura in her arms. My eyes drifted closed, and soon I was in a semi-deep slumber.
To Be Continued…
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