Ok, here's part 2!
Disclaimer: once again Paramount owns everything in the Star Trek world.
AN: I have started chapter 3 but I'm not putting it up 'til I get some reviews for chapter 2!
Rin sat in Vedek Mano's office, tears dripping down her cheeks. Mano sat back in his chair and sighed.
"I can't say I'm not disappointed, Rinelle," he said quietly. "I thought you had better judgement than this."
"I'm sorry, Vedek," she whispered.
"How long have you known about the pregnancy?" he asked.
Rinelle chewed on her fingernail; her long red curls hanging in front of her face. Mano reached out and pushed her hand gently from her face in an almost fatherly gesture.
"You shouldn't bite your nails," he admonished. "Now tell me, how long have you known?"
"About a week."
He sat back in his chair and studied her carefully. "I'll have to inform Vedek Obek. It will be up to him whether you will be allowed to remain here or not, Rinelle."
Rinelle looked up at him, her face streaked with tears. "I have nowhere else to go!"
"Which is why the Vedek will probably let you stay," Mano replied comfortingly. "However you know his views. Vedek Obek is a very strict Orthodox-"
"But he knew about the first pregnancy!" Rinelle interrupted.
"That child was conceived against your will, Rinelle. He may not be so understanding when he hears of this baby."
Her head dropped again. "I understand."
Mano reached out and took her hand. "I will do everything in my power to convince him to let you stay here. But… if he orders you to leave I'll help you find somewhere else. I promise."
Three weeks later.
Aron threw another stone into the lake, his mind in turmoil. She was pregnant; no doubt with that koreki Deltrin's child. He threw another stone into the lake angrily.
"This is all his fault!" he erupted. He stood up and began pacing agitatedly throwing his hands into the air wildly. "I warned her about him but would she listen to me? Of course she didn't! Now she's going to have his baby and-"
"Aron?"
He whirled round, his brown eyes flashing furiously. "What do you..."
He trailed off. Little Tori was looking quizzically at him from where she was perched on the gate, five metres behind him. Aron sighed and lifted her off.
"What is it, Tori?"
He set his sister back on the ground gently. Tori was six years old; the youngest of Aron's adoptive parents' biological children and Aron's favourite. Her springy red curls reminded him of Rinelle, although their eyes were different colours: Tori's being the same as Aron's mud-brown colour while Rin's were a deep clear blue. The colour of the sea, he mused. With a start he suddenly realised Tori was asking him something.
"What'd you say?" he asked.
Tori sighed. "I said, who were you talking to?"
"Oh..." Aron stopped. "No one. I was talking to myself. You shouldn't listen to people's private conversations."
"Even if they're only talking to themself?"
"Especially of they're only talking to themself!" he replied tickling her nose with a piece of grass. Tori giggled and pushed it away.
"Where's Rinelle?" she asked.
"At the monastery. Why aren't you at school?"
"Somebody died."
"Who?"
"I don't know," she replied shrugging her shoulders. "Mama said an important lady had died so we could all stay home today."
Aron raised his eyebrows. "Sounds serious. Come on, let's get back it should be lunchtime soon."
Tori took his hand and they ran back to the house. Jered Alita was standing by the sink, a single tear trickling slowly dow her pale cheek. Aron sent Tori upstairs to play with the other children and slowly approached his adoptive mother. She caught sight of him as he drew near and hugged him close. Aron tried to pull away, embarassed at the affectionate gesture but she clung tightly to him.
"Who is it, Mother?" Aron asked.
"We heard it on the news channel this morning," she whispered. "Kai Opaka was lost."
Aron pulled away. "What happened?"
Alita shook her head. "I-I'm not sure."
Aron headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Alita called.
"The monastery!" he yelled back.
Vedek Mano looked up from his digging as Vedek Hylen rushed out of the monastery towards him.
"Have you heard the news?" he gasped.
"Rinelle told you then," Mano replied calmly. He set his trowel down carefully and rubbed the soil from his hands. Hylen shook his head, still gasping for breath.
"We received a transmission a few minutes ago."
Mano turned round and stared at his colleague, his face clearly puzzled. "A transmission?"
Hylen wrung his hands mournfully. "You haven't heard! The Kai... we've had news... she's been lost!"
"Lost!" Mano gasped. "How? Does Vedek Obek know? Who is her replacement to be?"
"The transmission was not clear about the circumstances of her death," Hylen panted. "But it was not on the space station, Her Eminence, may she walk with the Prophets, was killed in a shuttle crash! Vedek Obek has requested that we gather to pray for peace in this difficult time for Bajor. Who knows what will happen without her!"
"Vedek Mano!"
Mano turned round slowly to see Aron running towards them. "You heard the news?"
Aron nodded. "Have you seen Rinelle?"
"She's in her room, child," Hylen replied, his breathing now returning to normal. "Come, Vedek, we must go now."
Aron walked through the corridors of the monastery, willing his heart to stop beating so hard. He stopped outside Rinelle's door and ran a hand through his unruly black hair, trying to tidy himself up. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him gently. Rinelle was sitting up in bed her hair dishevelled and messy.
"Hey," she said softly. "Haven't seen you for a while. Thought I'd done something to upset you."
He looked away uncomfortably. "To be honest, I was a little upset when you told me about the baby."
Tears started to fill her eyes. "Not you too."
He hurried to her side and knelt down beside the bed. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll be here for you Rinelle, whatever you decide to do, you know you can count on me."
She smiled and the weight lifted off Aron's shoulders.
"Thanks. Vedek Mano said Obek might throw me out."
"If he does, you can come live with me," he said firmly. "No arguing."
"Your mother has you and four kids to look after," Rinelle objected. "I couldn't..."
"My mother is a born worrier." Aron laughed. "If I don't persuade you she will!"
Rinelle laughed and rubbed her eyes. "Ok. Thank you, Aron."
He hugged her close. "Anytime. Do you have a due date or anything?"
"I went to the doctor yesterday. He said I'm about 9 weeks along, so I have eleven or so weeks to go."
"Did you find out the sex?" Aron asked eagerly.
"No, I wanted it to be a surprise!" Rin replied laughing again at the disappointment on Aron's face. "I have another appointment in 4 weeks, come with me if you want and ask the doctor yourself."
He smiled. "I guess I can wait 'til then!"
Rinelle laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "Where would I be without you, Aron? I love you sometimes."
Aron held her tightly. "I love you too."
She pulled back and tilted her head. Aron cleared his throat.
"I mean ...when you're not driving me insane with your constant nail biting. Or when I tell you to do something and you do the complete opposite just because I told you to! Or-"
She held up her hands. "I get it Aron, I drive you crazy!" She smiled again. "You drive me pretty crazy too sometimes you know."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Aron walked back to his house hours later. The sun was beginning to set and its last glowing rays cast their light across the fields.
"I love you too."
He cursed himself and his stupid mouth for the hundredth time since he'd said those words. At least I managed to make it look innocent enough...he thought. He kicked at a stone on the road in his frustration and tripped himself up. Arms flailing, he landed sprawled on the ground groaning loudly. He rolled over onto his back and glared up at the sky.
"Why me?" he moaned loudly. "Why?"
He picked himself up slowly and limped the rest of the way home. His mother was waiting for him.
"You shouldn't have run off like that," she admonished gently. "I've been worried about you."
"I'm 17, Mother, I don't need to be babied all the time. Anyway I told you where I was going before I left."
She nodded slowly. "To the monastery. I would've thought the vedeks would have been too busy today to hold classes."
"I went to see Rinelle if you must know."
Another of Aron's brothers ran through from the kitchen into the room, ten year old Jered Ceric.
"Mama, can Antos stay over tonight? His mama wants to go to the monastery and his dad is working."
"Sure he can honey. Check it with his mother first though."
Ceric skipped off happily outside where his friend was waiting and Alita turned back to Aron.
"I know that face," she said softly. "What's bothering you, Aron?"
"Nothing," he snapped. "I'm fine."
"You sure sound it. You've been spending a lot of time with Rinelle this past year."
He shrugged. "She's my best friend and now the Cardies have gone I can go visit her more often."
"Your best friend? Is that all she is?"
Aron clenched his fists. "Yes! She's my friend and she's not the slightest bit interested in taking it any further!"
Aron stormed up the stairs and slammed his door, leaving a worried Alita behind him. She sighed and buried her head in her hands, her mind taking her back all those years when she and her husband had adopted the orphaned little boy into their family...
"Put me down! Put me down!"
Alita turned as the shrieks reached her ears glancing at the Cardassian guard as she did so. A little boy, no more than 7 or 8, was being dragged into the compound by another guard. The boy's face was streaked with mud and his clothes were torn and dirty. He struggled fiercely against the guard, to no avail.
"Put me down!" he shrieked again. Alita tapped her husband Kerrin on the arm.
"Who's that boy?" she whispered. "Over there."
Kerrin looked over and shrugged. "Maybe one of the orphans who escaped the massacre at Kerasa Village last week. Apparently the Cardies didn't do a very good job of exterminating the whole population."
The guard dragged the screeching boy to the village Prefect, Glinn Haket.
"I found this brat stealing food from the barracks, sir," he snarled. "What should I do with him?"
Haket looked at the boy and then addressed the crowd. "Does this boy belong to anyone here?"
"I don't come from here!" the boy hissed. "I come from Kerasa!"
Haket smirked. "You came from Kerasa."
The boy spat in his face and received a slap across the face from the guard. Haket wiped his face, his disgust plain.
"Send him to a labour camp!" he ordered sharply. "Maybe that'll teach him to show some respect."
As Haket turned to march away, a voice called out from the crowd.
"Wait, please!"
Kerrin grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her back.
"What are you doing?" he hissed. Haket turned and glared at the Bajoran who had dared address him without permission.
"Please," Alita stammered. "I'll take him in, he can live with me and I'll take any punishment."
"No, Alita!" her husband protested. Haket walked slowly towards her. Alita stood her ground as he approached and stood almost toe-to-toe with her. Without warning, he lashed out and slapped her hard across the face.
The crowd gasped as Alita fell backwards into the dust. Haket pulled her up to her feet.
"Don't you dare speak to me without permission again," he hissed. "Or I will not hesitate to have you beaten and shot. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Prefect," she whispered. A trickle of blood seeped from her nose. He released her and she staggered backwards.
"Good. Now, about the boy. What exactly is it you want me to do with him?"
"Prefect, I request that you allow him to stay with me," Alita stated. "I'll take any punishment in exchange."
"Why do you care so much about this boy?" Haket sneered. "He's just an orphan."
"My sister was killed at Kerasa, sir," she replied quietly. Haket looked her over then smirked.
"We'll see if you're so keen to adopt him after you've suffered 30 lashes of the heatwhips." He turned to the guards. "Tie her up. Make sure the boy watches."
"No!" Kerrin cried. "Take me instead, please, I beg you!"
Haket roared with laughter. "My, we're all feeling very noble today! Fine, if you feel that way... tie him up as well. 30 lashes each."
Alita buried her face in the wooden post as the lashes rained down on her back, her eyes tightly closed in prayer as tears leaked down her cheeks. Not a sound emitted from either sufferer.
Later that night after a medic had come to dress their wounds, Alita led her new son into their home. Her daughters, Capri (3) and Rayla (1) were already sleeping.
"What's your name, honey?" she asked gently. "Mine's Jered Alita. This is my husband, Jered Kerrin."
The boy sniffed and rubbed at his face. "Milka Aron. I'm seven today."
"Happy birthday," she said wiping the dirt from his face. "Why don't you sleep on the mat over there?"
Aron nodded and curled upon the mat and promptly fell fast asleep. Alita watched him breathe until sleep too, finally overcame her...
Over the next few weeks and months, Aron had grown into a happier boy, playing with the other village children - when it was permitted of course - and both Alita and Kerrin had rejoiced in the change. Both still had the scars running across their backs from that fateful day, reminders for all eternity. Alita fingered her earring absent-mindedly. They had gone on to have their own children of course, thirteen year old Capri, eleven year old Rayla and her young ones, Ceric and Tori. Only Tori had inherited Kerrin's stubborn red curls, Alita mused. The others had varying shades of brown hair, no doubt from Alita.
"Mother! Mother!"
Alita stood up and hurried through to the kitchen. Rayla was standing in the doorway, tears running down her face.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Alita asked urgently.
"Tori fell in the lake and she's not breathing!" Rayla wailed. Alita fled down to the pond, her daughter close on her heels. As she neared, Alita could make out the shape of Capri cradling a small body in her arms. Alita fell to her knees beside her.
"Rayla, go call for a doctor!" she instructed. "Now! How long was she in the water for?"
"I don't know, I came to find her a few minutes ago and she was in the lake," Capri stammered. "Is she dead?"
Alita felt for a pulse. Nothing. Frantically she started mouth-to-mouth, praying desperately as she did.
"Come on, baby," she whispered. "Come back to us..."