Your boyfriend is crazy

Posted on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 @ 11:31am by Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey & Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels

Mission: Free write
Location: Counselling Office

Tony stormed into Sky's office without knocking or even checking if the other woman was alone. "I have had it up to here with him, Sky." She nearly shouted. "He has gone absolutely crazy. Do you know what he did? He went over my head to my supervisor! He talked to my supervisor to see if I am mentally unhinged. It is he who is mentally unhinged." She had to stop to come up for air.

"Whoa slow down Tony" Sky looked at the XO in surprise. "Why would Xavier do that?"

"He had the bloody nerve to go over my head and talk to my supervisor. Implying there is something wrong with me! Is he truly insane? I had to explain to her that we had agreed on a few sessions so I could make sure he is coping fine. And that we would get those out of the way as soon as possible so it would not hinder the mission. And now he has gone and told an admiral that I am not doing my job and apparently just want to play counsellor and bother him with it the whole day long. While the sessions would be conducted out of office hours. Ugh!" She felt like kicking something. "Is he blaming me for something in the past? Does he want to destroy my career?" It had been a long time since she was this angry.

“Xavier did that?” Sky looked at Tony in surprise. “He never mentioned anything to me about it, but then I suppose he wouldn’t.” She sighed. “This seems odd behaviour for Xavier, I don’t understand it.”

Tony deflated now that Sky was the first one in the family who seemed to believe her. "Do you think he is scared to talk to me? Scared that he will fall apart when he lets his feelings out? That is why I want to do it in a controlled way. We can't risk him having some sort of trigger reaction while we are in action. I am not saying that would happen. But you know as well as I do that it is possible."

Sky hated to talk about Xavier behind his back but she couldn’t avoid talking to Tony either. “I don’t think Xavier would risk that happening, especially now that I’m pregnant. However maybe he’s trying to avoid having to talk about his past again. Maybe he feels talking about would make him weak, and have Starfleet remove him from duty.”

"I would think he trusts me more than that. And he seemed fine with it. And he keeps trying to push his friendship on me. Somehow that is extremely important to him. And I told him the same thing I told you that I can't be friends with him until after therapy ends. I really don't think I will be working with him for months like the first time. But I do think that he needs to work through this.' She was still highly frustrated.

Sky nodded. “Have you stopped to think that maybe a friendship would be the best way to start? He needs to know that the two of you can function as a cohesive unit to run this ship, if he’s worrying about whether you’re his friend or just a therapist how are you supposed to work together in command?”

"It's very hard to step back from a friendship. That's why my choice is the more logical one. How can I stop being a friend and become his mental health doctor again? That would be hard on both of us either. And look if you two had not been involved I would not have stepped in at all. I really have his best interest in mind."

Sky nodded. “Have you stopped to think that maybe he’s trying to avoid being in close quarters with you so-to-speak? I understand the two of you almost became ... romantically involved? Maybe there are still feelings that would make things difficult.”

"Uhg, that again. Look Sky, you don't have to be afraid that I have feelings for him. I was not long out of university when he became my patient and as he had problems opening up even then it was intense. For a fleeting moment... but I never acted on it. I kept it all strictly professional and I made it very clear that he knew. I thought he understood. He can't still have feelings. He has you and Talsi."

“I was just suggesting it, I know Xavier loves us and I’m not worried.” Sky offered Tony a smile. “Maybe he feels pressured into these sessions, you know as well as I do that being pressured into counselling is counter productive. You just end up in a battle of wills.”

"That is the weird part. I even offered him an out, asked if he would not rather talk to my supervisor but he opted for me. And then a day later he acts all weird and paranoid, now that worries me Sky."

Sky frowned. “Xavier agreed to talk to you, then does this?” She couldn’t help but wonder why Xavier had changed his mind so fast. “I’m going to need to ask him about this Tony.”

"Yes please. Maybe you can make some sense of it. I certainly can't. And I am really starting to doubt if I should stay or not." It would greatly damage her career if she pulled out now.

“Don’t go making any rash decisions Tony” Sky offered a smile. “We’ll get to the bottom of this one way or another.”

"I really hope you can help because I don't know what to do anymore." She said honestly.

Sky nodded understandingly. “For now I suggest dropping the Counselling session, and concentrating on your job as Exec. It’s what you were assigned here as. I’ll be in touch regards this matter once I’ve had time to think what’s best to do.”

"Contrary to what he has told you I am not neglecting my duties as XO. I have been getting to know all department heads, familiarising myself with the ship and doing the drills that the captain wanted me to do. The only thing missing right now is his guidance on how I am doing my job. The counselling I was doing in my spare time." It was snarky but it was important to her that Sky knew she was not shirking her duties.

“I didn’t mean to suggest you were shirking your duties Tony” Sky offered a smile. “You’re assignment here is Executive Officer, not Counsellor. If Starfleet wanted to be funny about it they could easily reassign you. “I think the best thing to do right now is to get the two of you talking face to face. Clear the air.”

"yes, I don't mind doing that. But so far I can't get him to see any kind of reason. Right now I do not understand that man at all."

Sky shrugged her shoulders. “I may be Xavier’s fiancée but I haven’t known him as long as you. We’ll get this sorted.”

"I hope so." Tony sounded a little sad. "I feel like going to the bar and getting drunk tonight."

“Just don’t go doing anything you’ll regret” Sky offered a smile. “I would invite you to spend some time with me but I don’t think you’d appreciate being in the same Quarters as Xavier.”

"No I really really would not appreciate that tonight." But she managed to smile again. "Thank you for your help. It means a lot.”

Sky nodded. “My pleasure Tony.”

{OFF}