[Galaxy] 30 July,Joint personal log, Garroway/Batenburg

[Robert]

[ Earth, Starfleet Headquarters, Shuttle Landing Area ]

The shuttlepod eased down on the pad, a credit to the pilot that the 
landing wasn't enough to wake up Garroway.

"Admiral," Stone said lightly but firmly. As Garroway jerked his head 
upright, Stone opened the hatch. "After you, Sir."

Garroway blinked a few times, let out a heavy sigh, and willed himself 
to get up. Once out of the hatch, however, he found renewed energy when 
he saw who was waiting for him.

Having earned a flag rank had its advantages. It meant a more private 
welcoming home. She had joined the welcome home reception that Starfleet 
had laid on for the general crew, but it had taken a bit more time for 
Thomas to be able to extract himself from everything. Just the fact that 
she knew he was safe and home had been enough. Until the shuttle landed 
and he stepped out. A huge grin slowly spread over her face and she was 
speechless. All she wanted was to hold him. Feel his strong arms around 
her.

As they embraced, neither one wanted to let go. The aching distance was 
gone and they were once again together, eager to make every moment 
count. "I missed you," Garroway said. It was a genuine honesty that 
rather surprised him. It wasn't that he /didn't/ miss her, but that he 
usually missed being /out there/ just as much, and he could handle one 
as long as he had the other. He had reached a catharsis just prior to 
the battle, however, that he wanted -- needed -- to be with Suzy and 
their child. The point was that Garroway found himself /not/ missing 
being in space. 'Gallivanting around the cosmos is a game for the 
young,' the thirty year old mused ironically.

She lost herself in his arms. It surprised her time and again how much 
she missed him. And having been on relatively light duty had given her 
far too much time to think and worry about him. "We missed you too, I am 
so glad you are home and safe."

"Well," Garroway smirked, "safe, yes, but /home/ is still a few 
light-years away." He pulled back a little and looked at her -- her 
eyes, hair, lips -- and smiled. "Then again, 'home' is a pretty relative 
term."

"That is what I mean, my mother always used to say, 'home is where the 
heart is'. And it was not easy being here, stuck on Earth when you were 
out there, in such danger. And that when I have much more access to 
information than the families of the regular crews have," Suzanna said, 
as long as he was near, she couldn't help smile, and she maintained 
contact, her hand on his. She didn't want to let go of it any time soon. 
With her other hand she patted her large belly. "We are certainly glad 
you made it back in time. I definitely do not want to go through the 
birth on my own."

Garroway smiled, "Not a chance. And I've decided... well, I came to the 
realization that..." He let out a breath and started over. "I won't be 
leaving here anytime soon, so you won't have to worry about me. I don't 
like sending good people into harms way while I'm 'in the rear with the 
gear' as General Casey would say, but I couldn't help but feel a little 
useless during the whole thing. Anybody could have done what I ended up 
doing, and I would have had a better strategic picture back here. Lilly 
was always the tactician, and I think I need to fess up that my place is 
no longer on a starship." That was a hard pill to swallow, but there it 
was.

Suzanna leaned closer and kissed him, realizing how hard it was to face 
that decision and fact. Sometimes, one had to experience it to learn it. 
Having to stay back while others fight the fight was very hard too, 
something she knew all too well. "We," Suzanna took his hand and placed 
it on her belly, "will support you no matter what. Shall we go home, or 
do you need to do some things in the office first?"

"There's /always/ some things in the office I need to do," Garroway said 
wearily. "But while I may not be a starship captain anymore, I'm not 
exactly a desk jockey either." He perked up and smiled. "Let's go home."


-----
RAdm Garroway, Thomas R.
Starfleet Commander
(The First Era)
"Whatever is necessary -- for Starfleet, for Earth."

RAdm Suzanna Batenburg
Fleet Advisor
Starfleet: The First Era
"Everything fits, otherwise we will make it fit."