Christine knew that Mary was right. Many of the men on the island weren't interested in becoming parents. Fathering a child was one thing, but raising it was another but that could also be said of some of the women. "I have no idea how I'll feel when the time comes," she said. "at this time in my life, it' the right thing to do and I know that but I have no illusions about how difficult it will be."
She hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how to frame her words. "You've mentioned Jim to me before and I didn't know exactly what to say but I can tell you that he's a good man. When I met him, he didn't take a lot of things very seriously but he's grown up a lot." she gave Mary a sad smile. "the man that I loved, he was older than me by a good many years but that never mattered. He was my commanding officer for a time as well as Jim's and was like a father to Jim. We kept our relationship secret for that reason, Starfleet frowned on that kind of thing but when Christopher died, I found out that Jim had known, I think I told you that part." She reached for the chain around her neck and pulled out the pendant made of the Starfleet insignia and Pike's admiral bars. "Jim was with him when he died and he got these for me because he knew that Christopher would have wanted me to have them. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is an amazing person inside there, he doesn't always let it show but when he cares about someone, he cares with everything he has."
She paused for a moment, realizing that she might have said too much. "and I"m sorry if I was out of line but I just wanted you to know that about him."