Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in War… War Never Changes - Cestus III - Side Sim Why Chloe Went

Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in War… War Never Changes - Cestus III - Side Sim Why Chloe Went July 2383 Starfleet Medical

Chloe ran down the hall almost taking out two orderlies and a fellow nurse. Seeing the room she needed Chloe reached out hitting the door lock as she grabbed the frame pulling herself it. She was running so fast, she slid instead of walked into the room. The sound of her rubber boots squeaked loudly trying to gain purchase on the cold metal tile. “I’m coming. Don’t hang up. I’m cuh ming,” Chloe said loudly dropping into the chair before the console with a loud huff. There was no way Nate would not know she had hauled it to make it here. Her cheeks were flushed a bright red, her breath came out in heavy pants, her hair had whispies that fell loosely framing her face and her eyes had a bright sparkle to them. “I thought I was going to miss you,” she said leaning into the screen slightly placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her fists. “But I didn’t but I did,” she said softer finally getting her breathing under control as she let out a small laugh bowing her head and shaking it. “Can we start again?”

“Hey you,” she grinned looking away shyly for a second before moving her gaze back to him. Chloe did not want to waste a second of her time with him. It was precious and with him gone, she wanted every second.

“So how is the Hartford? Have you picked the brains of the crew? Is anyone doing that hiding maneuver so that you have to seek them out because they are just trying to seek your attention but at the same time claim they are perfectly fine and an introvert? How are your quarters? Did my plant survive the trip,” she threw question after question at him like a drill sergeant in basic training. It was hard not to. They only had a single long weekend together before he left for his placement. Most people would have just choked it up to graduation fun yet for Chloe and it seemed to her for Nathan, there was the possibility of so much more. They left a million messages for each other every day with some on a strict schedule. She woke every morning to a message usually with a picture of coffee and the words Good Morning Doll face. Before bed, Nathan would see a message about her day and how much she missed him. Her message was always a novel while his was typically a man’s couple of short phrases. Regardless of the word count both types of messages showed how much they were on each other’s mind. Throughout the day Chloe sent random images of things she saw. Nathan was more of the quick kiss or happy face as a response. The moments like this were the ones she craved, however, with his schedule and the unpredictability of the ER they often were ships passing in the night.

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September 2383 Chloe’s apartment
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“So I booked the cabin at Lake Tahoe but my sister is not happy with me,” Chloe sat down on her bed adjusting the PaDD on her lap to talk to Nate. “She is still complaining that I am not letting her stay with us and that she had to get her own cabin. I can’t for the life of me see why Meredith is putting up such a fuss. I mean would you want to share a room with us this weekend,” she took a long sip of her coffee blowing over the lip of the up beforehand.

“Probably but my sister’s ability to find her next boyfriend is not my issue. My issue is both of us not falling asleep all weekend once we get there. I had to take five double shifts over the past two weeks to get the time off. It’s worth it though.” Chloe stopped talking for a second as she looked at Nathan’s face. It seemed slightly different. His face was smiling and all his attention was focused on her yet his eyes seemed to look a little less intense. “You look tired,” she said getting a bit concerned for a second.

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April 2384 Golden Gate Park
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Chloe sat in the park looking out at the bay while she talked to Nathan. It was chilly but warm enough that the crisp spring day air felt good. Things were moving so fast between them but also at a snail’s pace. His impromptu proposal at Christmas was more than a shock but on some level not unexpected. The holiday was perfect yet with his departure so many problems began to rear their ugly head. Her family moved on a sliding scale from absolute adoration to highly suspicious. Her mother and aunts were chomping at the bit to publish the engagement announcement. The problem was Nathan helping out with this task on his end. While Chloe wanted to set a date, it wasn’t something she felt, much like Nathan, had to be done at breakneck speed. Chloe’s response of we are talking about it was met by numerous questions that ranged from Nathan’s desire to actually set one to understanding that he had to get enough leave together to actually enjoy it. It was enough to set Chloe on edge whenever she saw a group message from her family. “So have you talked to the Captain about dates?” She tried to keep her tone casual. For the past few weeks, it seemed like the topic of wedding planning annoyed him. “I checked out several places. My family is still pushing hard for the Thomas Manor Inn but it is hard to look at anything if I am not sure even what season we are planning to get married. We can’t really have an outdoor wedding in Boston in December. Oh and did you get that form filled out about your biography. I know it is long but my mom bought out a two page spread in the society section of the Danbury Post. I tried to fill in some stuff but I don’t have anything really on the Hartford.”

“Well maybe you could get some fun candid shots of hanging out with the crew,” she suggested. “You know you and the guys tossing the baseball around. You did start the baseball team like you told me you wanted to right?” Chloe knew there was something eating at Nathan just below the surface. His snipped off crisp comments had nothing to do with a lack off a desire to get married. Past that, however, Chloe had no clue why his moods seemed to waffle between happy or mildly interested when she cold commed him from time to time.

“Baby are you okay,” she stopped all talk of frivolous things staring intently at the screen.

Chloe Kendrik nurse

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May 2384 Chloe’s Memorial Day Party
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“Nathan,” Chloe said happily, “I didn’t think you would be calling.” Dropping into the chair at her father’s desk, she smiled at the man on the screen. The sound in the background was a dull white noise. People’s voices could be heard but not the conversation. Setting her beer on the edge of the table she leaned forward kissing the monitor. It was a silly gesture and one she had done in the past but today it was far more silly probably due to the amount of beer she had been drinking. The Kendrick holiday barbeques were an annual event. If Nathan had been in town he would have been there. Luckily though Nathan was not in town. The typically festive event had turned far more political this year with several guests wanting to debate the evils of Starfleet. Several stories had broken in the mainstream media about life after the Dominion War. After two hours of debates, she was just happy for a break.

“So what are you doing today,” she took a long drink of her beer. Her movements were loose showing how tipsy she was. “Tell me my South Paw Bazooka is making everyone sorry on the other team,” she propped up her feet up on the desk reclining some.

“Hey play me a song,” she asked wiggling her eyebrows. So many times when they were alone, Nathan would pull out his guitar and play her a song. She loved it most when he was toying with chords to create a melody. His face held such a look of concentration until he found the notes he was looking for. Then Nathan would often close his eyes as he hummed searching for words to match the song.

“Yeah, I want a song,” she winked at him wearing a huge smile, “so get your guitar and start playing me a tune but not that Throw a bar to your Minstrel thing. Yeah, the tune is catchy but I want an original Nathan Harland.”

Suddenly the door was thrown open to the small study and a familiar face burst into the room. “Aunt Molly can you....Uncle Nate,” Molly squealed seeing the face on the screen. Running up to the monitor she hugged tightly. “I joined the little league. I am going to be a short stopper,” she grinned showing a pumpkin smile with her front two teeth missing.

“Can you come see one of my games? Please, please, please,” Molly asked clasping her hands and jumping up and down in a begging motion.

“Yes Uncle Nate,” Chloe said from behind her niece. “Please please please,” she joined in Molly’s chant.

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June 2384 Italian Riveria Shore Leave
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Chloe stepped out onto the balcony wearing a thin black silk robe. Taking a seat at the small iron table, she poured herself a cup of coffee and topped off Nate’s as he studied a PaDD. The warm Mediterranean breeze ruffled his hair. It was much longer than the last time she had been with him. So much had changed since she spent the week with him in Tahoe. Not that she was complaining but his body was the most dramatic. As a baseball player, Nathan had the lean, toned body of an athlete. Now as a neurosurgeon, Nathan’s muscles seemed to have muscles. He had always worked out yet this trip, he seemed to have almost as much a desire to work out as he did spending time with Chloe.

“Baby, I was thinking that maybe we should go to that small bistro for dinner. You know the one outside that museum we went to a few days ago. The one that said it was American Italian,” she let out a long laugh grabbing a peach from the fruit bowl. The fruit was exceedingly sweet causing some juice to dribble down her chin. Wiping it away with the back of her hand she chewed it slowly mulling over the topic on her mind.

A smile crept across her face as she thought, woe this is our first married decision. While they still hadn’t set a date Chloe had no doubt it would happen however since he gave her a ring she was duty bound to at least mention her idea.

“So I had an idea. Hear me out,” she held up her hands like it was the most exciting plan she was about to sell him. Her eyes had that happy sparkle to them like the time she rented the Lake Tahoe Cabin and when she took a week off of work to meet him halfway across the Galaxy because he got an unexpected shore leave for two days. Whenever Chloe got one of her great ideas she wore the expression she was currently directing at him. “I am putting in for a transfer from Medical. I started to look for ships last week. I had hoped to know what ship to get us the “My Fiancé is on the blank” matching shirts. Well okay,” she let out a happy laugh, “I was going to make it but what do you think?” She stopped to fun lay take a breath smiling at him.

Chloe