We Are Family

Posted on Sat Mar 5th, 2016 @ 11:11pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Solis & Jackson Banning V

* Piper Medical Center *

“Close your eyes” Solis ordered Oz. “Good. Now hold still, if that’s possible for you.” He grinned, then raised the dermal regenerator. “I’m going to finish off a few last marks, then you can go home with Jackson and break out your zebra striped pumps.” He snickered aloud and stepped out of her reach.

She reached for him with a closed fist. “No fair reading the sick,” she grumbled. “And I think you just insinuated that I’m fidgeting. You do know that I’ve been in this bed for a couple of days now? What I really want is a good run, something to get the heart pumping again.” She paused and nodded, “Which... yeah, could be done with Jackson and those pumps. Are you saying that’s allowable?”

“By all means, just don’t tell me about it. Deal?” He began to move the regenerator slowly around her eye. “And yes you’re fidgeting so be still while I work on your eye area. Personally I don’t care if you go salsa dancing. Which could work with those pumps too I suppose, but no, there are no limits on your physical activity other than those self-imposed.”

“Hmm... could you tell Jackson that? Coming from me, he might not believe it, since I regularly ignore doctors’ advice.” She held still - as still as she could, all things considered.

One of those things was her mother’s voice. “Oralia, are you making this dashing young man blush?”

“Ah... Mom. Hey there. Am I making him blush?”

Solis laughed again. “It takes a lot more than that, trust me. Mrs Zeferino,” he greeted her without looking up. “I’m about to let her dash on out of here.”

“Conradi,” both women corrected him. Oz went on, “Mom and Dad never married.” She would have shrugged, but Solis’ reminder to hold still was still holding.

“Wonderful! Then I can walk you home, Oralia. And you can tell me whatever secret Chance is sitting on,” Nadia Conradi said.

“Chance is sitting on a secret? That’s gotta be uncomfortable. And making Eli jealous. Besides, I thought you knew those two were married,” Oz muttered, tilting her head at Solis’ direction.

“Almost done,” he said softly. A few seconds later he switched off the regenerator. “As good as new and I do excellent work, I must say.” He passed Oz a mirror.

In the mirror, Oz caught a glimpse of herself and angled the mirror away and caught sight of her mom, who was standing open-mouthed and shocked. “Mom? Hadn’t Eli or Chance told you yet?” Oz twisted to look at her.

Nadia, thunderstruck, shook her head. “No, Chance said he was concerned about you and you getting better. When the hell did they do that? Does your father know? Does his father know? Do Eli’s parents know?” Her voice rose on each question.

Oz blinked and glanced at Solis. “Ah... well, Mom, let me check with the hive mind for those answers. Give me a minute.” She fell silent.

Solis put his hand on Oz’s arm. You are so bad. He smiled at her a moment.

She gave him an exasperated look, She always does this: asks me questions I have no way to answer.

“Doctor Solis! Is she still attached to that hive mind? I thought you fixed that?” Nadia turned on Solis, angry.

Oops, came Oz’s thought.

“She is pulling your leg,” he informed Nadia. “Alright Oz, you’re good to go. Where is Jackson?”

“Right here,” Jackson answered as he entered the room. He stopped to give Nadia a peck on the cheek, then swooped in on Oz as she sat up. “Ready to go home?”

“Yes, I am. And Solis here suggested I pull out my zebra-striped pumps,” she said, grinning.

“Oralia,” Nadia scolded her with the one word and Oz shrugged at Jackson.

“Oh, geez.” Jackson looked a trifle sheepish to be discussing those shoes in front of Oz’s mother. But the cat was out of the bag and so he laughed. “You know Solis, those shoes, well one of them, ended up on my nightstand the first time Oz stayed over.”

Solis held up his hand. “I do not need to know this. Now go on. Shoo. I need to go do some work on Dae. Oz, call if you have any problems.”

“Will do,” Oz nodded. “Ready?” She slipped from the bio-bed just as a nurse showed up with a wheelchair. She glared at it, but took a seat and let the nurse whisk her along her the corridors.

* Jackson’s and Oz’s Quarters *

The families - multiple families - had converged upon their quarters, denying Oz and Jackson the chance to try out those zebra-striped pumps just yet. Instead, Oz was on the couch, watching Jan talk with her dad, Zephron, and Eli and Chance (with a spider hanging onto his hair and shoulder - she wasn’t sure which child it was) talk with her parents, and Jackson... she smiled as he brought her a drink. “Hey. Any news on Iggy?”

“Ian says she should be out tomorrow. He also said a lotta other stuff but I kinda glazed over when the words began to exceed six syllables.” He settled beside her on the sofa and of course, just as he got comfortable, the chime rang. “Will you get that son?” he called out to Eli.

Eli hurried over and opened the door to admit his parents, who stepped in, hugged him tight, then went in search of Chance.

“Oz honey?” Jackson watched the group for a minute, then turned to face her. “When did we get to be such a big family?”

“Hmm... you know that we’re missing three of my brothers and the wives of two of them? Plus the kids of one? But, yeah, when did this happen? I must have been part of the hive mind for too long. They multiplied during your shift.” She shrugged. “Oh, we’re also missing two spiderlings and their mother. I’d count their dad, but he can’t count, so I won’t. Or... is he in his terrarium in Iggy’s bedroom?”

“He’s down with Ian and Iggy. Ya have ta add in my four brothers, plus two wives and six other kids. Evan and Woody are still single.” He glanced to Jan. “Idiot. Woody, not her.”

“Isn’t she dating Raj now? And Evan was married... wasn’t that him in the wedding photo, the one that nearly had me ready to skin you?” She started trying to tally the numbers, but they slipped away when she thought about them.

“Yes for Jan, and I think Raj was gonna drop by if he got time. As for Evan, yes, he was. That didn’t end well. It seems to be a thing with Intel types, me being the one shining exception. These days he won’t even mention her name without making the sign of the evil eye ward and such. I just don’t ask anymore.” Jackson sipped his drink, then cleared his throat. Gradually the room quieted down.

“All y’all will pardon me if I don’t stand but it’s been a hellish coupla weeks and I’m tired. Anyhow, this is sorta an impromptu reception for the kids there,” he nodded to Chance and Eli, “who finally tied the knot. To that I have two things to say - Congratulations and it’s about damn time.” He grinned as applause broke out. “An’ the other reason we’re here is breath a huge sigh of relief an’ welcome Oz back home.” There was more applause.

“I think that’s yer cue honey.”

She stared at him, surprised, then, without standing, said, “I’m very glad we’re all here and can celebrate our family and our lives. There are those who didn’t come home to do so.” She frowned and looked into her glass. “But, all good things here today. Yay for Eli and Chance!”

Chance came over and hugged her. “Thanks, Oz.” He straightened up and rejoined Eli with their parents.

* Later *

Jackson let out a sigh and it seemed to echo in the quiet of their quarters following the large get-together. “It was amazin’ ta have ‘em all here but I’m glad ta see ‘em go,” he murmured. “Because that means I finally have you all to myself.”

“Yes, you do. ‘Course, I think I’m too tired to even get off this couch,” she said, smiling at him.

The zebra-striped shoes. Where are they?, whispered a voice in her head. Her eyes went wide; the voice didn’t sound like her own - it was the hive mind. But no, she knew it wasn’t. The mild anti-psychotic Crane had put her on hadn’t yet kicked in; he’d said it would help make that voice sound like her own again.

“That’s alright.” Jackson surveyed the living room and smiled. “Hey, at least they cleaned up. That’s the best kind of party. How are you feeling, really?” He turned his head slightly to kiss her cheek, settling her a little more against his shoulder. “An’ how many days do ya have off?”

“Earl said I can’t go back till he take me off these meds.” She curled against him. “So... a few, at least. I think he’s worried because Sakkath and Li are such good friends and now...,” she leaned into him a little harder. “Beyond that, I’m tired and still hearing the hive mind. Only not.”

“No rush then. Gilroy and Darwin can handle things just fine. All of us have been through a helluva lot of trauma. Jan told me not to darken the Nexus’ doorstep till the weekend so I can be here till ya get tired of seein’ my face.” Jackson laughed now. “Or other parts of me.”

“I don’t think that could happen, J.” She chuckled with him. “Darwin’s been re-assigned to a task on the planet, so Gilroy’s on deck for everything. He’s thrilled.”

“Really?” Jackson was surprised by that but of information. “Who’d he piss off?”

“Gilroy? No one that I know of, but he’s the only one available. I’m on medical restrictions and Darwin... well... Darwin slept with Li and the Admiral doesn’t seem to be happy about that. Granted, he put it in terms of telepathy and danger to Darwin and for Darwin’s safety, we need to get him away from Li, blahblahblah.” She mimicked talking with her hand. “End result, Darwin’s on Archadia for a little bit.”

Jackson choked on his drink and shifted to face Oz. “I’m sorry did you just say Darwin slept with Li?” He blinked at her, obviously having a hard time processing that. “Umm….wow.”

“Yeah, and I’m not being Iggy-literal with that. I’m using ‘slept with’ instead of ‘had sex with’,” she nodded. “See? And then dad found out... her dad, not mine. Because mine? He might not appreciate that you’re sleeping with his little girl, but he generally doesn’t care if some other grown woman goes to bed with an eligible male.” She was obviously tired: she was talking a lot.

Jackson still looked a little shell-shocked. “Yeah but Li just lost….and Darwin….and I didn’t know they….wait….was this going on before…..” He didn’t even finish that thought.

“Oh! Jackson! Darwin has some morals. I think.... I think he’d refuse to sleep with me, for example, since I’m married. But I can see how it’d happen: grieving widow, needing to feel connected and alive and who better to connect with and feel alive with than Darwin? He’s..., woo!,” she breathed out and fanned herself, playacting how Dar made her feel - and how she knew several women on the Station felt about Darwin. She tried to recall: had she and Li ever bantered about him? Maybe they had..., she couldn’t recall off hand. “Besides, it was totally consensual. He asked, she agreed,” Oz shrugged. “He told me about that when he came to see me in Sickbay.”

“I can see that, and yeah, if I was a woman….woo!” he teased Oz. “But it would make Ian jealous. As for Li, the admiral may have a point. I know that she and Sakkath has this bond...telepathic, mental, whatever. He could sense her even when he wasn’t on the station. Could feel her, you know? What happens when half of that is gone? Would it seek out a replacement?” Jackson shrugged.

“The admiral said he was concerned about that. I know Darwin’s good at no-strings relationships, so if there are strings that he wasn’t aware of, he’s not going to like that.”She paused. “You know... if you lose me, I give you permission to totally seek comfort in Darwin’s bed. I bet he wouldn’t kick you out.”

“Nah I’m holding out for Reva or maybe that Bolian down in Ray’s office. I like her.” He grinned at Oz. “And there’s a waiter at the Bajoran place that always gives me free dessert.”

She elbowed him, “Hush you. I’ll haunt you if you ever end up in Madhava’s bed. Or her in ours.”

“Huh. Well, she’s a big girl, she’ll work it out. I need to go by and see her now that I know you’re home and alright. Leto said she seemed kinda off when she saw her.” He shrugged. “We’ll all get there, it’ll just take some time. Did Darwin say if she was stayin’ in her quarters or somewhere else?”

“He’s on the planet, so I think she’s just in her quarters. Though maybe she’ll take guest quarters.” Oz could understand that Li might be loathe to sleep in her own (Sakkath’s) bed; it’s how she’d feel if it had been Jackson they’d lost.

“Eh I’ll find her.” He kissed Oz gently now. “What do ya say we go look for those pumps?”

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The Banning-Zeferino-Conradi-Ziyad-Gree Family
Lt. Solis