Two Thorns, One Red Rose

Posted on Mon Jul 9th, 2012 @ 5:39pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Jackson Banning V & Lieutenant Commander William Harding M.D. & Lieutenant Commander Ophelia Payne

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Sickbay

Things were quiet. So quiet that it disturbed Oralia right out of her sleep. At first, she had no clue where she was. Even after a moment of looking around the room, the only thing she really knew was that she was in Sickbay, hopefully still on SB900. What had happened? She lay in the biobed a moment, trying to recall if she’d been injured in a Security simulation...? Certainly not in a mission of any sort. Had she been in the Cherry Pit?

Yes, yes, she had... but she’d left there without injury. So why was she here? She moved and winced. Everything hurt, seemingly from her toes to her head. She felt like a very large part-Klingon had barreled into her - a feeling she’d had before, after a sparring match with Gilroy. Gilroy was on the planet, though. What had happened? Trying to shift in the bed, she winced as muscles in her abdomen protested. She searched for her last memory and found it.

That’s when the real pain hit: ”...I'm sorry, Commander. We did everything possible, but it was too late.” The voice of Doctor Harding, telling her about Connor. “Oh gods...,” tears stung her eyes and spilled over as she curled into a ball on the biobed. She swiped at them, rubbed her face with her hands and then ran her hands through her hair.

She had hair... it wasn’t long, but it was longer than she’d had the … Connor was dead. Nothing else mattered. In the dimly lit sickbay room, she struggled to breathe; what breaths she could take were cut short by painful sobs.

Oralia wasn’t alone with her grief for long - a silent alarm had gone off at the nurse’s station and now a night nurse appeared. “Commander Zeferino, are you....” Of course she wasn’t all right, he stopped before asking a stupid question. “Easy, Commander, this should ease some of what you’re feeling,” he pressed a hypospray to her shoulder and rubbed the spot with one hand. As the medication took effect, he helped Oz settle back on the biobed again and held her hand.

“How long...?” She had a glazed look now.

“Just about a day,” he saw her other hand start towards her hair and guessed her question, “The treatment you’ve had accelerated certain body functions. One benefit is that your hair grew out a bit.” He smiled, lamely. There was more, but he didn’t want to be the one to tell her about it.

“Oh,” she sighed quietly and then slept. She should have asked what treatment she'd had.


* * * Morning * * *

“Commander?” A voice was urging her to wake up, “Oralia?”

Oz cracked one eyelid then got the other one to agree to open up. She was in sickbay.... Confused and not quite able to sort things out, she asked, “Where’s Connor?” If she was in Sickbay, surely he’d be right there by her side.

Ophelia bit her lip, then gently took Oz’s hand. “He’s gone, Oz. When we gave you the news you fainted. That was day before yesterday.” The nurse’s voice was gentle, low and soothing. There was more but that was up to Dr. Harding or Dr. Kwan to discuss.

“Ah...,” Oz winced as, again, tears came to her eyes. She put a hand over her eyes; her face hurt. “I knew that already. I did,” she nodded and wiped her eyes with both hands. They wouldn’t quit with the tears, though. “Um... I’m fine, right? Can I go home? I’d rather have some... privacy.”

“Not exactly.” Ophelia squeezed her hand. “Tell me, how’s your body feeling today?”

Managing to bite back her grief for the moment, Oralia shifted around in the bed. “I’m okay... Nothing hurts. I fainted?” Fainting didn’t usually result in someone being held in Sickbay. Then again, she wasn’t a doctor.

“You did. Dr. Harding had you settled in here and he’s stayed over since because he didn’t want to leave. He’s been in checking every half hour.” There was something just a little evasive in Ophelia’s black eyes, lurking behind the sympathy.

“Oh.” Oz missed the evasiveness, being so wrapped up in keeping her misery at bay. “Could I dress and go see him, then?”

“I’ll have him come to you.” She smiled, then checked the readouts on the biobed arch. “Shouldn’t be but a few minutes. Can I get you some breakfast?”

“Um, no, I’m not hungry. Thanks, Ophelia.” Oz started to sit up then thought better of that action. She gave a thumbs up to Ophelia, to indicate she was okay.

“Buzz if you need me.” Ophelia departed and the doors closed behind her. There was just enough time for her to go find Harding and confer, then the doors opened once more as he stepped in.

“Good morning, Oralia. How’re you feeling?” Harding seemed more than a little worn down this morning.

Oz had managed to get the biobed to recline so she could sit up. The new position made her feel slightly more in control. She was looking pale, but aware; she was, however, feeling slightly fuzzy, from her brain to her teeth. “Hey, Doc Harding,” she nodded, holding her emotions in check, “I’m okay. I’d like to head home.”

“I’d love to let you do that but I can’t just yet. You’ve had a hell of a shock, Oz, and there have been some complications.”

Her brow furrowed. Complications? That word, in a medical setting... to her, it seemed it was used mostly in regard to unexpected deaths and problems with... pregnancy. Her pale shade went whiter. “The baby?”

Harding was quiet a moment, then shook his head. “I did my very best, but I wasn’t good enough. I’m so very sorry Oz.” His voice wavered just a bit and she could see now just how exhausted the man was. “So, I would like you here one more day just to be on the safe side.”

Fighting to hold her composure in the face of that news, Oz failed miserably and she started crying. Covering her face, she choked out a sob and said, "Get out. Just leave me alone.”

“Of course.” Harding rubbed his eyes and turned to go. “I’ll check in a little later.” There was little else to say really, and that fact stabbed straight through him. This was one of those times that he despised his field. As advanced as they were, some things were still beyond them and he hated it. The doors closed behind him and he moved on away to his office to sit down before he fell down.


* * * Later * * *

Snuffling, Oz thought she was done crying, for now. Exhausted and red-eyed, she lay on the biobed and wondered where Iggy was. Had Iggy missed her first day of class? She hoped not; Iggy had been so excited when Kit’rin’e had agreed to have her as a student.

The doors to her room slid open once more and someone stepped in, but didn’t come any further.

“Oz?” It was Jackson.

“Hey. Come in,” she fussed with the pillows and sat up. “I look horrid, I know,” she shrugged, “I’m usually the one on your side of the bed, Jackson.”

Jackson, usually the man knowing exactly what to say, seemed a little unsure what to do, so he held out a single red rose he’d brought to her.

“You look just fine, darlin’.”

She smiled, ever so slightly, and accepted the rose. “Thanks. Always the charmer, Jackson.”

“Some people bring it out in me I suppose, though I think Cass would get a laugh outta that. She’s seen me at less than my best. How’re ya feelin’?”

“Fine. Physically. It’d almost be easier if I felt like somebody had hit me with a phaser on stun.” She sounded stuffed up. “My head hurts a little, from crying.” Now why’d she tell him that? She hated for anyone to see her crying or to know she was so bad off she cried.

“Cryin’ gives me a headache too, as I’ve remembered the past few days.” He knew her well enough to know her own words would irk her, so maybe his admission would help. He pulled a chair up beside the bed and reached for her hand.

Watching him much like she’d watched him in her quarters last night... no, wait, that was... yesterday?... she’d lost track of days. She squeezed his hand lightly. “Yeah. We did have words,” she said, not sure what else to say. Then she was sure: “Jackson... with...” Connor dead “...all that’s happened.... Um....” Maybe she wasn’t so sure. She started crying again and wiped at her eyes. “I need a friend.”

“I know, why do you think I’m here?” He reached for the box of tissues by her bed and dabbed at her cheeks. “You’ve got lots of ‘em Oz.”

“Not really, Jackson, I don’t. That’s why I’d always go to you. You’ve been such a good friend,” she cut herself off before saying: ‘And I’ve been such a shit to you.’ Right now wasn’t a good time to have that conversation, if that conversation really ever needed to be had. Connor was gone and she couldn’t fathom moving past that. “And here I am, crying on your shoulder again,” she chuckled, trying to make a joke. It fell flat.

“You do what you need to, Oz.” His blue eyes held hers. Oh hell, what a difference a day makes, to quote Dinah Washington. He still was having trouble wrapping his brain around the news that Connor was gone. “I told you I’d be that friend for you.”

She nodded and sniffled into a tissue. “I want to go home, but Doctor Harding said I have to stay another day,” she assumed Jackson knew why.

That seemed to surprise him. “Another day? What for Oz? Is somethin’ wrong?”

She stared at him a moment, confused. Then she realized: Connor’s death would be common knowledge; her pregnancy and the loss of it, not such common knowledge. “Yeah, they’re worried ‘cause I fainted. Low blood pressure, no oxygen...,” she waved a hand to indicate other factors were included in the diagnosis, “...the shock hit hard. And I lost the baby.”

Jackson’s mouth fell open but nothing came out. Double whammy. He couldn’t imagine what she must be feeling, not even close. He had no words and so, he moved to sit on the side of the bed and gathered her into his arms, holding her tight.

Enfolded in his arms, she lost what composure she’d had and cried hard. This wave of sobs, though, didn’t last long. She’d already cried a river. “I suppose it’s for the best,” she said between hiccups.

“I can’t say Oz, that it’s the best, only that it is...what it is. I am so sorry. I wish I had the right words, or that I could get in yer head like Li does and make ya feel better.” He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. When would the shit end? When would life leave them alone?

Nodding, she simply held onto him. “Watch... watch him put me on desk duty,” she laughed through her misery, and her hiccups. “Just what I’ll need: more time to sit and think.”

“What can I do?” Jackson kept his tone light. “Short of bribing Harding not to put you on desk duty?” He stroked her back gently, and again wondered why the three of them seemed to be such targets of fate.

“You’ve done enough, Jackson.” She pulled back to look him in the eye. “With my officers, if medical says they can come back to duty, I trust the docs. Can’t have that trust screwed up by whining at, or bribing, the docs to go against their judgment,” she reasoned. “But, could you do a favor?”

“Anything. What is it?”

“Check in on Iggy.” Oz had found a safe subject to worry about, one that didn’t induce tears. “She was supposed to start class.”

“I’ll go pick her up after school and take ‘er home with me till we spring ya outta here. How’s that?”

Oz smiled at him and actually chuckled. “That’ll be just fine. But no cursing lessons.” She paused as she realized something. “You know she likes you? You’re the first male I’ve heard her call by name.”

Jackson smiled. “Better than cursin’ me like most females do. And does that mean she doesn’t wanna eat me?”

“She wants me to eat you.”

“Oh well then, that makes it all better.” He grinned at her and rolled his eyes. “She and I will have to talk about this. And I’ll bring ‘er back once you’re out. I’m gonna be gone a couple of days once yer home.”

She was glad he’d left the double meaning of her words alone. “Gone? Where are you going?” There weren’t many places out this way to go just yet; mostly just Archadia.

“Just down to the planet for a day or two. Jan suggested a little mini-vacation might be good for me and she’s right.”

“The planet is beautiful. Plenty to do down there,” she said, trying not to recall the Amazon-like women of the planet. Then a tiny voice reminded her he'd mentioned Cassidy a moment ago, that she'd seen him at less than his best.

“Yeah, I thought I’d hit the beach and just....pretend the universe doesn’t exist for a bit. That does not mean you can’t call if you need me.”

“I’ll do my very best not to call on you, Jackson.” She was feeling much better, having the conversation on such a normal topic. “Iggy will keep me company. Chance, too, I’m sure. I wonder if Iggy is in Chance’s class.”

“If those two are in the same class, I pity the instructor.” Jackson kissed her cheek, then hugged her again. “We’ll get through this...get you through this. Li will come tomorrow and take ya home.”

“Thank you, Jackson,” she touched her cheek and found a moment of solace in him, his touch, his words. A pinch of guilt prodded at her; Connor was barely gone and here she was, crying on his rival’s shoulder.

“I’ll stop in tomorrow after you’ve gotten home and settled and bring your wayward child. In the meantime, I need to go talk to my wayward child too.”

“Your...? Oh, Eli.” She nodded and impulsively lifted his hand to her lips. “See you then.”

“You will. And if anything happens, Harding has been told to call me immediately. Rest, Oz. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He slipped his hand away from her and stood. After a moment, he turned and strolled out as casually as he had entered.

*********
Lt. Commander Oralia Zeferino
A Friend In Need

Jackson Banning V
A Friend Indeed