Aftermath - Part I

Posted on Saturday, 25 July 2020 - 2:55pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley
Edited on on Saturday, 25 July 2020 - 3:03pm

Mission: Operation: Jabberwocky
Location: Earth, Australia
Timeline: 2393 - MD 07

{ON:}

Soral was resting in bed. Alex had insisted on it. He hadn't been allowed to venture out farther then the bathroom since his return. He had just been about to get up when the door opened again. It was like she knew whenever he moved in a manner that was not according to her orders. He raised an amused eyebrow as he stared at his wife, hands on her hips.

“Where do you think you are going? You are supposed to be sleeping,” crossing the room, her expression made it clear she was in no mood for him to be doing anything beyond resting as ordered. Rest apparently meant a different thing to Vulcans. Or half Vulcans anyway. Because it seemed her husband could not sit still for more than five minutes.

"I was just going for water." He studied her and then held out a hand to her.

Alex shook her head in exasperation, reaching for the side table where his comm badge was sitting. “That is why we have these,” she chided him gently as she took his outstretched hand. “Please. I need you better and well.”

"I will be." He sighed. "We should talk about everything."

“I guess so,” she nodded as she knelt on the edge of the bed.

He opened his arms to her and when she settled with her head on his shoulder he spoke honestly. "I...do not know where to start."

Leaning into him, she realised he could not see her incredulous look. Yet perhaps it was best to ease into the subject of his children. She was still wrapping her head around that. “Start wherever you feel you can, we can work from there,” she said softly.

He sighed. "There is so much that I need to tell you." He paused and then he told her about the Romulans and how he helped bring them to Vashti and how he was struck by Pon Farr. He told her about his reprimand and then about his night with Evasta.

"After that....After I found out that Evasta was just using me we broke it off. She left...She went back to Romulus to help her family and ... well I never heard from her again. I didn't care to." He shook his head. "How could she not tell me...how could Liviana not tell me?"

“A question only she can answer,” Alex pointed out, “but perhaps it was a mistake borne out of a wish to protect you rather than malice. I’ve seen people do things with the best of intentions but what they thought was best was the worst choice. Ultimately you are going to have to speak with Livinia and decide what happens next. Decide what is best for your children.”

He looked at Alex. For the first time since she'd known him his eyes were misty. He tried to speak and then shook his head. He tried again, "What does that mean for us? I.... wish to have your wisdom my wife."

“It means I will support you, whatever happens,” she assured him. “Right now, you need to be thinking of two young children who have lost their mother and never known their father. What happens now is a decision for you and for them. I’m assuming you do want to be a part of their lives?”

He gave a nod. "I do...but what if they do not want me a part of theirs." He looked at her. "Are you angry?"

“Soral your seven year old came all this way to see you,” she pointed out, “if she didn’t want anything to do with you she wouldn’t have done that. And why would I be angry? You knew nothing about them! And it isn’t like you had no life before I came along.”

He sighed. Pulling back the covers he stood and began to pace. "I...." He stopped. "I am lost."

She watched him pace for a moment before stepping up to stand in his way. “It has been a lot to take in. Just... tell me how to help you. Please. If you feel lost then we are lost together, Soral. Talk to me. Tell me what you need.”

He cupped her face. "Alexandra Kingsley you are my gift and I could live one thousand life times and never deserve you." He kissed her gently. "This is about both of us, about both our lives. I wish you by my side. I need you by my side but I need you to tell me how you feel. You always take care of me and worry of my needs and feelings. I need you to share yours with me."

“My feelings?” She moved to kneel on the edge of the bed, considering her words. “I do worry about you. Twice I’ve stood in a hospital room thinking the worst.... but beyond that? Angry. Not at you but for you. You have children! That should never have been hidden from you. I worry that you may decide Vashti really is where you belong. And then what becomes of us?

I see you doubt yourself, can feel it from you. But you doubt if you are worthy. As if I would turn away from you...”

He gave a nod. Letting her words sink in. "The worry is not due to you but due to a lifetime of people turning away. It is difficult to close those wounds even though I know that you are not like that." He came to sit on the bed and took her hands. "I believe I am angry too that I was not told, scared perhaps of what kind of father I would be like. " He pulled her into his lap. "I belong where you are. Technically you too are a mother now."

“Too be honest I was planning on a few months of preparation for motherhood when it finally happened. And, well, your daughter may not appreciate that too much,” Alex confided quietly. “And I owe Liviana an apology...”

"Let us take things one step at a time. You do not owe Liviana an apology. Liviana is bringing my daughter for lunch today. I believe that all four of us need to sit and talk." He looked it her eyes. "Seveine seems to have a logical mind. She will adore you. You are going to make a wonderful mother. I too wish I had some time to prepare for fatherhood. I believe there is a bright side to everything."

“Oh?”

"We missed the terrible twos."

Alex rolled her eyes at the joke, shaking her head as she rested it on his shoulder. Despite what he said, she did owe Liviana an apology. And Seveine. Her mother had so far received a thousand such apologies so far and would hear a thousand more. By the time she got Soral home the kitchen had been cleaned up and Mac had been replacing the broken glass doors of the kitchen cabinets.

Once Soral had been settled in with Mac left to watch over him, she had gone for a walk on the beach at her mother’s insistence. As usual her mother knew what she needed most was a shoulder to cry on, someone to vent her fears to who knew her better than she knew herself.

“I guess we did. I hear teenage years are even worse,” she warned.

"Perhaps." He sighed. "Now about the glass. We will need to figure out what happened there."

She closed her eyes, all of her guilt bubbling to the surface. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I couldn’t even tell you what I was feeling and what you were feeling... and then Liviana walked in and it happened. Soral I could have really hurt someone! I’ve never felt so out of control. I - Soral, I can’t go back. What if it happened on the ship...? I could never forgive myself.”

His arms tightened around her. "It will be alright. I promise you that." He tipped her chin up so that they were looking into one another's eyes. "I promise you that we will figure this out. I spoke to Hades about the abilities. He is a man I trust with my life. If you are willing he will help us."

She frowned, the idea of involving someone else was far from her first choice but the fact that Soral trusted him implicitly was comforting. And she knew for Soral to approach him he must have truly believed this doctor could help her. "If you trust him that much then okay... But anything needs to be shared with Doctor Rose, he's already running a comparison scan and he's our CMO. It would be wrong to exclude him now."

"I have no intention of leaving him out. Have you heard of the First Federation?"

“Yes but I couldn’t tell you much about it,” Alex replied, her confusion clear. “Why?”

"They have somewhat better technology and might be able to provide Doctor Rose with some more detailed scans to aid in his research." He squeezed her hand. "We will figure this out. I do have a theory."

“Better than you married a crazy person?” She offered with a small smile.

"I married the most wonderful woman in this universe." He kissed her hand. "My theory is what ever abilities you have I think our bond amplified them."

“Can that happen?” She asked him.

"Indeed it can. I would suggest contacting doctor Rose and telling him what has occurred."

“Everyone else seems to have heard it from Liviana so maybe he knows already,” Alex muttered before she sighed. “I’m sorry that was uncalled for.... I’ll go send him a message and you can get back to sleep until your guests arrive.”

"Alexandra," he said firmly. "Do not do that. They are our guests you are a part of me and thusly they are family to us both. I understand your anger. She spoke of something that was not hers to speak of. You blame Liviana for my getting ill do you not?"

His tone made her anger flare as she stood. “Do not speak to me like I’m a child,” she warned as she headed for the door, “and I blame her for keeping secrets from you. The unraveling of it made you ill. So yes, I do.”

He stood and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Alexandra. Listen to me. You are entitled to your feelings and I hold blame on her too for keeping this from me. However I was not speaking to you as if you were a child. You have a way of saying things to make yourself seem like an outsider. You are my family. If they are family to me then they are to you as well."

“Alexandra do not do that?” She quoted back at him before sighing. What was the point in arguing? He wouldn’t understand. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Family. Absolutely. Speaking of, Sara is here. I should get back to say goodbye before she heads home.”

"There was nothing..." He sighed. "Wait Sara?"

“My dad’s cousin,” Alex reminded him. “I thought she was already gone but apparently not. Mum had her over for a visit before she goes. She didn’t want to disturb you while you were recovering. Believe me, all you missed was disgusting tea. I don’t know where she finds them. Now will you please rest? For me?”

"I will rest," He turned to go towards the bed. "Alexandra,"

“Yes?”

"I love you," he simply said.

“I love you too,” she promised as she helped him into bed, leaning over to kiss his forehead. “I’ll wake you when our guests arrive.”

To be Continued...

{OFF:}