Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 03:32:14 GMT In: alt.startrek.creative From: Sara sara_g50@shaw.ca Title: Family Lines Author: Sara Goose Series: DS9 Rating: PG-13 Codes: K, O'B Part: 1/1 Summary: A sequel to "Another Glance" Feedback: Constructive or gushing, positive or negative, all of it's welcome - sara [at] thiswateryplace [dot] com Disclaimer: The powers that be, they are not me. I'm just hanging around in their sandbox. Notes: This story started when Jerie, beta extraordinaire, asked what Kira was thinking when "Another Glance" happened. So, after a few drafts, some sleepwriting or other magical influence, and a fair amount of time, this fic arrived on my computer. Thank you to Jerie for your patience, encouragement, and honesty. In the bath that was a gift when she moved back home, Kira tries to find a place to rest her hands. She doesn't want them to get wrinkled and her stomach is now under water. They don't feel comfortable in the armrests that are too small. She's not sure that sitting still is a good thing, either. He kissed her, or she kissed him. She paced her quarters, wearing figure eight shaped grooves in her carpeting. She thought about going for a walk but didn't want to run in to anyone. A bath seemed safe, until she couldn't find a place for her hands. She hasn't been pregnant for months, although it sometimes seems like forever. But when she looks at the baby that isn't really hers, she just wishes that she hadn't had to leave him. She wishes he could be in the bath with her, like the mothers in the camps used to do. Family time was bath time, when there was enough water to spare. Little splashes of water on the ground afterwards for her to clean up. Tiny footprints evaporated in the hot sun, and the larger ones beside them lasted a bit longer. She asks the computer for music, but when it wants her selection, she freezes. This is the first time in months that she's sat still, and the first time in even longer that there hasn't been someone else around to choose the music or help her out of the tub. When the computer again asks for her selection, she gives up and asks it to bring up the latest batch of crew reviews on her terminal. She towels off quickly and puts her uniform back on. *^*^ In the turbolift the next morning, she runs into Julian. "Did you see Miles last night?" he asks. "We ran into each other at Quarks," she replies, "and then I think he went home." She ignores the period in between quite easily. It never really happened, she tries to tell herself. "Hmm, I thought we were going to meet after my shift, but he never showed up." "Maybe Keiko needed a hand with the kids." Julian agrees that this might be a possibility, and then leaves the 'lift at the lower promenade level. Blaming things on the kids, or at least on the baby, makes it easier. It makes it so she can honestly say she loves the whole family and what happened the night before was simply a case of misplaced feelings. She's a part of their family, or at least she used to be. She's not sure where she fits in now. It never used to matter which part of his family but the question Odo asked her all those months ago, "Which part of his family are you? Sister? Daughter? Cousin?" comes back to haunt her It didn't seem to matter before but now she is just trying to find a place that is hers. *^*^ In the morning briefing, Kira tries her best to pay attention, forget the events of the evening before, and not look at Chief O'Brien. Lack of sleep, though, made doing all three just too much. Paying attention, she rationalizes, is probably the only one she can get out of. She pretends a deep focus on the overnight shipping report that sits in front of her. The mention of her name startles her out of it, though. "Major?" "Yes, sir. Sorry, I didn't hear you." Looking up, she realizes that everyone else is getting ready to go, so she collects her things. "You and Mr. O'Brien will organize the accommodation and repair schedule with the crews." "Yes, sir. Chief, I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes." "See you there, Major." No eye contact is made, as they both use the pretence of standing and walking out opposite doors to avoid each other. *^*^. Eye contact is usually required for working together. So are conversations. Kira begins to dread these as she makes her way from ops to docking bay 4, where the damaged Masan is. Professional experience, and years of making it all about the job, tell her she can do this. There isn't always time, and she has learned to be okay with that. Today she has no time to figure out what happened last night, let alone figure out why it happened. And that will have to do, because they have a job and they'll have to talk around their personal lives. She can't look Miles in the eye, but she has to look at Chief O'Brien. Lines are drawn and they crossed one last night. They'll just have to draw some more. *^*^ In the docking bay, as the crew is leaving, Kira is handing out temporary quarters to the crew of the Masan. The last of them leave, and soon Kira and O'Brien are standing alone on opposite sides of the room with a handful of padds each. "We're going to be okay, right?" She barely hears him ask, but she nods without looking up. "We have to be." "Keiko wants you to come for dinner tonight." "Sounds fine." The minute it comes out she regrets her short tone, but doesn't take it back. "We can talk shop if we have to." He shifts the padds in his hands and puts the stack on the box beside him. "I know. What time should I come?" "Whenever we finish this. Hopefully it won't be much later than 1700." O'Brien gathers his repair kit together and starts walking towards the airlock in the middle of the room. "The list of assigned quarters is in the computer if you need them," she says, not quite ready to turn towards the door. "We were hoping to get away to Bajor for a couple of days to visit friends. Would you be able to watch the kids while we're gone?" "I'd love --" "If it's too much, we can take them, or ask Jadzia, but -- " "Miles. I'd love to. Just let me know when." "Thank you," he says and then walks through the airlock. She grabs her things and walks out the door, hoping that she'll get a few minutes to drop by the daycare for a visit. *end http://thiswateryplace.com -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. From ???@??? 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