What Happened...and Why?

Posted on Sunday, 18 April 2021 - 4:46pm by Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali & Lieutenant Raith Kolani

Mission: Operation: Peace or P'Jem
Location: Quarters
Timeline: After the Storm

{ON}

T’Lanna walked in the door to her & Raith’s family quarters, the part of not having her abilities functioning she missed the most was not feeling her connection to Jayce, or to Raith for that matter. She carried Jayce to his play area on the floor by the sofa and gently placed him down, taking a moment to spend a few motherly moments with her son.

Having completed his shift early, Raith had decided to make his way back to the quarters that he shared with both T'Lanna and Jayce and that they both needed to talk after her recent outburst on board. He needed answers and he also wanted to understand why he'd not felt her reach out with their own bond...something that Raith had struggled to adapt to once it began, but was embracing with more practice.

Once he arrived, he saw that T'Lanna was already there and Jayce was playing on the floor. Raith couldn't help but smile as he saw his son, regardless of adoption, playing away with his toys and seeming content. Looking up, again, he couldn't feel T'Lanna even though Raith could see her on the sofa.

Putting down his tools in a safe place, Raith unzipped his duty tunic and took it off, placing it in the bedroom before returning to the living room. "Would you like a drink?" he asked T'Lanna, hoping to start things with a positive now he was home.

“Please” T’Lanna nodded and offered a brief smile. The one part of not having her senses she was missing was not being able to feel Raith, to feel their connection.

Raith ordered two drinks from the replicator and once they were created, picked up the tray and brought it to the coffee table where T'Lanna was sat down. Once he removed them from the tray, Raith slowly placed his hand on T'Lanna's hair and gently started to stroke her hair, as he always used to.

Even knowing that their connection was disrupted, for now, he still wanted to her to know he was there in some way. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently.

T’Lanna shook her head. “I don’t know, I always thought my father and I would have plenty of time.” She sighed. “He’s gone and I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. I did feel angry and upset but my outburst seems to have cured that. I just feel ... numb, I guess.”

"its ok to feel that way, that's completely understandable," Raith began. "When you consider that you lost your mother to the Borg...only to re-discover her again and now you've also lost your father... your outburst makes sense, you've been through a traumatic time." He kept stroking her hair gently as he carried on, smiling as he saw Jayce playing away.

"But there are also positives to this. In a way, you have been given a chance at closure because of knowing that despite losing both of your parents, you have been able to show that your capable of making them proud of what you have done and what you continue to do. You're a Starfleet Officer, a mother and also a very cherished and loved partner. You've been able to have a family and show what you are capable of achieving and of that, I'm sure that they both would be proud of you Tee," Raith explained before sitting forward and looking at her face.

"Always remember that Jayce and I love you very much and that your parents would have been proud to know where you are and what you've become."

T’Lanna offered a tears smile as she cuddled up with Raith. “I’m glad I have you, and Jayce. If I was alone I don’t think I’d cope as well as I have.” She smiled as she watched Jayce drooling over a teddy bear he was lying next to. His little eyes were firmly fixed on his mother as well. “I didn’t tell you .. Jarin mentioned that Jayce might start to develop his abilities early, plus my outburst may have had an effect too.

Raith held T'Lanna gently as she cuddled up with him. "Hey, so your outburst has some positives as well, see if Jayce is developing abilities then we'll be one happy family together," he said, trying to offer a brighter look at what had happened.

"I'm sure that there will be days that we'll all pick up on each other once you get back to some normality with your senses, but for now, we'll work together on that. Between us, we'll bring up our beautiful baby boy," Raith added as he smiled at Jayce. He looked up at Raith with the teddy bear and Raith could tell that his son was happy.

“I’m a lucky woman Raith, to have you and to have Jayce.” She smiled feeling happy at being with Raith even if she didn’t know how she felt about losing her father.

"And I'm a very lucky man to have the both of you, I couldn't ask for a better partner and son," Raith answered, holding T'Lanna to him gently, hoping that once day soon things would return to normal. He missed his connection with her and he wanted that unique feeling back.

{OFF}