Author's Note: Sorry I'm a little late, I got my second dose and I was exhausted and in pain ToT. Thank you for all the love and support for my story! Big hugs to you all!
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek! All rights belong to JJ Abrams (movie references) and Gene Roddenberry (TOS references). If there's any grammatical errors or mistakes that you find that I failed to catch I hope you can forgive me! Happy reading everyone!
"Captain DeLuca," An officer serving under Cassius DeLuca called out to get her commanding officer's attention.
After a debriefing while out in space Cassius had been informed that he would be getting more recruits straight out of the academy as well as a few transfers onto his ship. Cassius DeLuca was called back to Earth to enjoy a small shore leave, a shore leave that he never bothered to take advantage of.
Currently, the man was in his quarters, having no interest or need for the mandatory break because to him, if he needed to rest he could just go to his bed and sleep. Cassius was currently jotting down and reviewing a few of his and his crew's log and data collection before one of his female officers came into his quarters, by permission, with a man trailing just behind her. "Captain DeLuca, I have a...Charles Atherton who was informed to meet with you, sir, before he could go about his duties aboard the ship."
"Thank you Lieutenant." Cassius said having not looked up from his screen, being a man of few words when dealing with his crew, and motioned to dismiss the woman. "You may leave."
The female officer had left Cassius and the new man alone, and for a few minutes the two men had stayed in complete silence. The new officer shuffled a bit before he decided to break the silence.
"Greetings Captain DeLuca, I was told to report to you the second I stepped foot onto your ship." The new man introduced. "My name is-"
"I heard my officer introduce you." Cassius cut Charles off. "Commander Charles Atherton, Command Division. Born in London 2161 with highly advanced combat training as well as highly knowledgeable in Xenolinguistics." Cassius listed off before motioning to a stack of files, the top file labeled as Charles Atherton, that was neatly placed at the edge of his desk still without taking his eyes off his display screen. The Captain seemed extremely bored with the conversation if Charles were to assume off the way Cassius reacted. "Impressive credentials, and assigned as my First Officer. I trust that you will not disappoint me, Commander, as my previous First Officers had."
"I...I will do my best to live up to the expectations you have of me." Charles smiled, not at all bothered by the underlying threat Cassius had when he spoke. To Charles the message was clear, screw up and Cassius would not hesitate to transfer him to another ship or worse...demote him. "I'm looking forward to working alongside you, Captain DeLuca."
"I will hold my words until after you have proven to me your worth as my First Officer." Cassius waved his hand dismissively. "You're free to go, get well acquainted with my ship, Commander Atherton."
Charles didn't pay Cassius's cold greeting and introduction any mind, Charles was always one to treat everyone with the utmost respect they deserved with a smile. Killing them with kindness was his motto, and he stuck to it, but never mistake his kindness for weakness. He was a great Starfleet Officer, his reputation was always spoken in high regards, and with his transfer, he hadn't departed from his previous captain on bad terms. Charles had needed a change in scenery and had requested to transfer over to Cassius's ship, and it was a shock when it was approved by Cassius himself.
"I will not let you down, Captain." Charles said as he turned to exit Cassius's quarters, and when the captain was alone with his thoughts the indifferent captain turned to look at the file on top of the stack. He had to wonder…why had a man as cheerful as Charles Atherton request to serve under his ship knowing his reputation and what he expected from all of his officers.
"Cassius!" Charles called out to his captain, the first having forced the latter to take a few days off when they had docked on one of the newest space stations for reprovisioning.
Cassius had turned around at the sound of his name being called and bit the side of his cheek, irritated that his First Officer had called his name out and addressed him informally. When Charles had caught up to his captain, Cassius couldn't help but reprimand the man. "Please don't call out my name as if we were friends, Commander."
"We are on shore leave, Cassius." Charles ignored his captain's scolding tone, throwing his arm around Cassius's neck as he tried to lead the stoic captain in another direction. "We have no need for such formalities here!"
"This isn't shore leave, Commander." Cassius reached over to grab Charles's arm, shoving it off as he took a step to the side to put some distance between them. "We're here for reprovisioning and refueling before we head back into space, nothing more."
"That is not what I read in the report." Charles continued to smile, and when they came to a fork in the path, Cassius was about to go in the opposite direction of Charles before the Commander retraced his steps, running back to Cassius, and began to pull him in the direction he was going in. "Not that way! This way!"
"I don't want to go anywhere you're going." Cassius argued as he attempted to struggle out of Charles's iron grip.
As much as Cassius despised the man, he couldn't find any reason to transfer him over to another ship to become someone else's problem. From the moment Charles became his First Officer, Charles had indeed proven his worth and lived up to Cassius's standards. As an officer, Cassius could appreciate his level of professionalism, but as a person out of uniform? Cassius wanted to stay far away from the man that seemed to drain him of his energy whenever he was around.
Actually, Cassius made it a point to steer clear of all his men whenever they had a momentary shore leave. He especially made it a point now to avoid Charles who no matter what he did or said didn't take the hint that Cassius didn't want to be included in anything Charles had planned.
"You're going to want to go this way. Trust me." Charles forcefully persuaded as he practically began dragging his captain away. "I want you to meet someone important to me, my Mate. Her ship had made dock here for, coincidentally, her own shore leave."
"Why would I want to meet your Mate, Commander..." Cassius sighed, resigning to the fact that he wouldn't be able to struggle out or come up with a valid excuse this time around to escape Charles. He learned from the start to simply go along with his First Officer's crazy attempts at including him in his little games.
"I want her to meet my reputable Captain of course." Charles continued to smile, attempting and failing to butter his captain, as he thought about his Mate. As they reached a more crowded area of the station, due to their height, they could see above the heads of the crowd and Charles was eagerly looking around for his Mate before brightening up. "I think I see her! Captain Davis!"
At the sound of the enthusiastic man's voice, a woman in the crowd had turned in their direction, and the second her eyes landed on Charles she waved before pushing off in a sprint to meet the two men half way.
'Captain Davis' as Charles called her, launched herself into his arms when she was close enough and the two shared quite an intimate moment. Holding onto each other as if their life depended on it leaving Cassius to awkwardly stand there with his eyes averted away. Cassius wasn't one to outwardly show public displays of affection and was never used to seeing his own parents display such a thing, and even more so he didn't know what to do when it was happening right in front of him.
"Charles, it's so good to see you. I missed you so much." The woman said the second they had pulled away from each other. She had stood to the tips of her toes and placed a kiss to his lips, but when Charles went to reciprocate Cassius had loudly cleared his throat to capture both of their attention.
"Ah, yes." Charles pulled away, but never took his arm off the woman's waist as he proudly showed off his Mate to Cassius. "Captain this is my Mate, Captain Davis. This, my love, is Captain Cassius DeLuca."
"Captain...Davis?" Cassius looked over the woman, hazel colored, enticing and enchanting eyes staring back at him with her head tilted to the side along with the warmest smile he had ever seen in all his life and it was directed right at him. She wore simple clothing, nothing that he recognized as a Starfleet regulated uniform, but surprisingly it seemed to suit her as he sensed that she held the soul of a strong leader hiding behind her warm and open demeanor. "Are you with...Starfleet?"
"She's a trade ship captain." Charles shook his head. "You see, Cassius, you had asked me once why I requested to transfer to your ship specifically. My answer?" Charles motioned to the woman nestled into his side. "I wanted to meet and get to know the man who was worthy of my Mate."
"I'm not quite sure I'm following, Commander Atherton." Cassius said, a bit dumbfounded, and for the first time incredibly confused at what was going on and at a loss for words.
"Charles had insisted, telling me he knew exactly where to find you. You see, Charles likes to call me 'Captain Davis' to get under my skin since I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a captain, but let me formally introduce myself." 'Captain Davis' said as she held out her slender hand for Cassius to take. Something deep inside Cassius had compelled him to respond, his body acting before his mind could register what he was doing. His large hand enveloped her own and for a split second he had felt the tiniest bit of electrical current rush up his arm, going up his spine and he immediately pulled his arm back. His initial thought was that this woman standing before him had attempted to attack him. "I've been waiting a very long time to meet you, Cassius DeLuca, an absolute pleasure. My name is Cordelia Davis."
"Cordelia..." Cassius stared at the woman with wide eyes, finally registering who exactly this woman was, piecing together what his First Officer had meant. "you're my…"
"SoulMate?" Cordelia smiled as she took a step away from Charles and reached out to grab both of Cassius's hands into her own. "Let's go speak somewhere quiet, I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me as well as for Charles."
Cassius didn't want to go anywhere with this woman, or with his First Officer, but the second she had grabbed his hands to lead him away Cassius knew. He knew that he would do whatever this woman wanted of him…and she didn't even need to ask.
"Charles...Atherton." I repeated the man's name, staring at the happy-go-lucky grin that reflected back to me.
"Charles Atherton, the biggest pain in my ass I had ever met in all my life, he was my First Officer, and the second he had invaded my ship he never gave me a moment of peace." My great-grandfather nodded his head and warmly chuckled. "It was only after, when he had introduced me to Cordelia Davis, that I understood why he insisted on bothering me every moment of every second of the day aboard my ship. He...wanted to introduce me to my SoulMate, who was also his SoulMate."
"Charles was Mother's...SoulMate?" My grandfather repeated before looking toward my great-grandfather, his own father, in disbelief.
"Cordelia and Charles met when he was visiting a planet that she was doing dealings with. He was still a Lieutenant at the time of their meeting, and she was carrying out orders from her own captain. I had been a captain for at least a year...give or take before Charles transferred to my ship." My great-grandfather informed us before letting out a sigh. "My memory is not like how it used to be, but I remember them well...I remember as if it was just yesterday when I laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the entire universe."
"I don't understand Father, I thought you were..." My grandfather was unsure how to put what he wanted to say into words, unsure how to explain what he was feeling at this current moment.
"I was, but I was not the only Mate in her life." My great-grandfather closed his eyes. "We were simply children when we met, and being a child I knew my own parental figures wouldn't allow such a low standing Mate to be a part of my life...especially when there was also another man that I had to share her with. So, I had made it a point to avoid the both of them, intent on ignoring them for the rest of my life as we were taught." My great-grandfather opened his eyes and for the first time, I had seen actual emotions staring back at me, so much love he held for these two people in one stare. "But your Great-Grandmother was equally as stubborn as I was, and even if she wasn't around to show it, that stubbornness...that fight carried down to our family."
"She made it her life mission to be wherever I would be, even going so far as to be the only person to restock my ship. And I think it was through Charles informing her of our future destinations that she was able to accomplish such a task." My great-grandfather shuffled to the side, his bad leg suddenly giving him trouble as he adjusted his stance. "At some point I had relented to them, I had lost. I allowed them into my life and it was the best decision I ever made."
"But what about our family?" I asked him curiously.
"Your Great-Grandmother, as well as being stubborn as a mule, was also incredibly understanding." My great-grandfather said. "At some point I had accepted those two into my life, they became the most important people to me to a point where I would've given up my way of life for them, thrown it all away without a second thought." My great-grandfather turned back to look at the holographic image. "So, I had sat the two of them down and explained what my family was like, that I wanted to keep them away from my family and be with them. To my shock your Great-Grandmother had urged me to continue being a part of my family. You see, she had no family growing up, so to her family meant everything...even if my family would not be as accepting." My great-grandfather had let out a muffled groan of pain to which I offered to retrieve his chair for him to sit in. "Thank you, dear."
I shook my head and smiled, watching as he lowered himself down onto the chair, and urged for my great-grandfather to continue to tell us about Cordelia. About a woman that we had only known by name but never by face or personality.
"I knew, and we all know, how our family does things. They were not going to accept them or our situation. I had expressed my concerns, told her my intention and the future I envisioned...that I did not want to lose her or my friendship with Charles." My great-grandfather chuckled. "Allyson, what do you think she told me?"
I thought for a second, my great-grandfather seemed to think that I would know exactly what Cordelia would've said as his eyes focused on me, expectantly waiting for my answer. "...then don't."
"Exactly." My great-grandfather snapped his fingers, confirming that I had gotten the exact words she had used. "I was at a loss for words, I wasn't sure what to do, but I knew I didn't want to part with Cordelia. And even if Charles was a pain in my ass during his insistent meddling, I didn't realize that he had become my greatest friend and my most trusted comrade." My great-grandfather said, and I could tell how much he truly missed them. There was a sense of yearning in his voice, an ache that had never fully mended. "I am insanely good at my job, I was determined that I was never going to lose Cordelia or Charles because of my family, that was my lifelong mission. So, I had altered her personal files, my connections made it easy to do so, and for years I kept her information hidden from my family. No one would've been able to pick apart the systems I had in place, and I did all of this for them. My family remained none the wiser about the whole situation till the day they passed on from this world."
"When Cordelia and I were 21, we were blessed with a child," My great-grandfather looked toward my grandfather. "you were born in the winter of 2184, Barnabas, and we had all celebrated. My Mother and Father were ecstatic to have an heir, and Cordelia? She was happy to finally have a family to call her own with Charles and myself at her side."
"Father, tell me something, because with all that you're telling me, it is bothering the hell out of me. So I want to know." My grandfather glared at my great-grandfather who remained unfazed by such a reaction. "Am I your son? How do you know that I am not the son of this..." My grandfather motioned toward the holographic image of Charles, but before my grandfather could even utter a word, my great-grandfather had taken his cane and smacked his son in his abdomen.
"Don't be a fool, boy." My great-grandfather scolded his son. "Do you think I am daft? That I don't know my own blood? You are, a hundred percent, my own flesh and blood. And let me make myself perfectly clear, Charles is to be spoken of with the highest respect possible, am I understood?"
My grandfather rubbed his abdomen in pain, wincing as he lightly glared back at my great-grandfather who simply glared back, standing his ground against his own son before my grandfather submitted.
"How..." Aurelius interrupted the two powerful figures. "how were you able to keep all of it a secret? Wouldn't the crew...have said something to...anyone?"
"My crew, unbeknownst to me, had a sense of loyalty to me as well as Charles. My crew really cared about Charles. Respected him and myself." My great-grandfather's emotions shifted when he spoke to me. "I had bent the truth, made it so that Cordelia was listed as a liaison of sorts...a highly respectable position aboard my ship, and my Father was content with such a lie."
"What happened to Cordelia?" I asked and the light in my great-grandfather's eyes had dimmed.
"There was...an accident..."
"Cassius!" Cordelia came barreling through the corridors, barging onto the bridge of the ship as she latched herself onto Cassius who was sitting comfortably in the captain's chair. Cassius was taken by surprise for he almost spilled the contents of his mug that he was just about to take a sip from.
"Cordelia." Cassius smiled, placing his mug on one of the arms of the captain's chair, reaching to lovingly pat the woman's arms that were wrapped around his neck. The commotion was not at all a surprise at this point to the rest of the crew or those on the bridge. They were so used to seeing the couple's public display of affection that they simply smiled at the warm moment that was being shared that they simply went about minding their own business. "Is there something you need from me?"
"Have you seen Charles?" Cordelia asked as she looked over Cassius's shoulder, staring down at the datapad in his lap.
"He's been sent down on the away mission to negotiate with the intelligent natives on the planet below. He should be back soon." Cassius smiled. "Is my company not satisfaction enough?"
"It is..." Cordelia bashfully said before glaring playfully at Cassius. "I was just wondering where Charles was."
Cassius smiled, enjoying teasing her and taking every opportunity to do so before letting out a hum. "I, for one, enjoy your company and as much as I love seeing you here, Cordelia, who's watching Barnabas?"
"He's currently asleep." Cordelia said as she held up a little device in her hands. "If he wakes while I'm away this will notify me."
"How did he do today?" Cassius asked with worry, today had been an important test with his own parents and their child to figure out the development of Barnabas much to the dismay of Cassius. He had wanted to keep Barnabas away from the teachings of a DeLuca, but Cordelia had once again insisted that Barnabas should spend time with his Grandparents.
"Passed with flying colors." Cordelia assured as she patted Cassius's chest. "You worry too much, love."
"And you worry too little." Cassius sighed. "You don't know my family, Cordelia, they will corrupt that loving little boy to be a proper officer as they'd done to me."
"With me around? That won't happen." Cordelia assured. "And you didn't turn out so bad, you're rebelling and shockingly smiling more."
"You're hilarious." Cassius shook his head. "I'm only that way now because of you and Charles."
"Then it will be because of us that little Barnabas will turn out fantastic." Cordelia smiled. "He's your son after all."
"He most certainly is…" Cassius let out a content smile as he bought up the cup of coffee to his lips.
"I think we should have another one." Cordelia suddenly blurted out causing Cassius to stutter, choking on the liquid running down his throat. As Cassius started to choke on his drink Cordelia panicked and started patting Cassius on the back.
"Cassius!" Cordelia couldn't help but laugh at Cassius's misfortune, attempting to clear his airway with a good few taps. "Pull yourself together, love."
When Cassius was able to breathe he turned his head to look at Cordelia. "When you tell me something like that out of the blue, what did you think my reaction would be?"
"I don't know, happy?" Cordelia nervously laughed. "I can only do so much alone and I was thinking that Barnabas would get pretty lonely when his two fathers are busy with Starfleet duties."
"So, another child is the solution?" Cassius asked as Cordelia simply shrugged.
"I think Charles wants a child of his own, too." Cordelia said as Cassius sighed.
"Then I think this conversation should be between the two of you." Cassius said before Cordelia glared at her other Mate.
"We're a team, Cassius, all life decisions that are brought up I would want all of us to decide together." Cordelia scolded as the crew aboard Cassius's bridge smiled at the little exchange, of a simple woman scolding their fierce and regal captain. "Charles treats Barnabas as his own, and Charles's child will be your child as well, Cassius."
"And of course I would treat him as if he was my own blood...more so why I wouldn't want my family involved, Cordelia..." Cassius sighed. "I will protect our little family, Cordelia, even if it's from my own blood."
"If it bothers you that much, love, then we will slowly separate ourselves from the DeLuca name." Cordelia assured.
"Thank you." Cassius leaned up to kiss the side of Cordelia's head. "If another child is what you want then we shall talk about this decision, together...with Charles."
Cordelia squealed, giving Cassius a kiss to his cheek causing the man to laugh as Cordelia let out a dreamy sigh. "Our children will have such amazing, strong, protective fathers looking after them."
"Whether it be Charles's kid or mine, I hope they don't take after him. One ball of energy I can handle, adding you to the equation is bearable...but four?" Cassius lightly teased causing Cordelia to gently pinch his cheek, yet there was no harm behind her action.
"Behave." Cordelia smiled, it would seem like they had their whole life planned out, a family that they could be happy with...a perfect little bubble that they will build up together. The three of them.
But just as quickly as it came, the moment had vanished when Cordelia's smile disappeared. Her eyes became unfocused, glazed over, as tears started to pool in the corner of her eyes, falling like waterfalls cascading down her face, and Cassius became alert at his Mate's discomfort as well as the sudden shift in her emotions. "Cordelia...?"
"Something...something happened..." Cordelia said as she suddenly dropped to her knees. "I...I don't understand, Cassius...what's happening to me..." Cordelia reached up and placed her hands on her chest, bunching up the fabric when she squeezed as she crumbled in on herself.
"Medbay to bridge!" Cassius reacted immediately before jumping off of his chair and kneeling beside Cordelia. "I need a medic to the bridge, now!"
Cordelia had started to shake, her body vibrating uncontrollably at whatever force had its grip on her before her body slumped against Cassius's side...unresponsive.
And just as the door to the bridge slid open to allow a few medical officers onto the bridge, the communicator in the captain's chair turned on.
"Away team to bridge, Captain..." The voice on the other end solemnly called back to the ship. "...there's been an incident down on the surface of the planet..."
"During negotiations down on the planet surface...things had taken a turn for the worse." My great-grandfather placed his hand over his face, shame and regret flashing across his eyes. "There was an uprising, few had not agreed to the treaty that was being signed between Starfleet and the native people of the planet. The rebel group had gathered a few followers who shared the same ideals and stormed the building." Very softly, too quiet for anyone to hear, but I heard it. My great-grandfather's voice had cracked. "Many were lost that day, unnecessary blood that was shed. And among those people was my good friend Charles. He died without Cordelia or myself by his side, he died alone...and to this day I regret ever sending him down there."
"You said my Mother died on an away mission." My grandfather stated as my great-grandfather nodded his head.
"With how she went, she may as well have." My great-grandfather said. "The day that Charles died, Cordelia had followed soon after. She had tried to go about her duties as normal, but it seemed like the light inside her was fading with each passing day. With how unknown SoulMates and SoulMarks were at that time, I didn't think for a second that that was the cause for her death."
"Grandfather," My father was the next to speak up. "you were also her SoulMate, did she not care that you were alive? Did she not take into account that she still had you?"
"Charles had met Cordelia years before I had. Their bond was stronger then Cordelia and myself, but when I lost her...the pain I felt, it was as if I had known her all my life." My great-grandfather sighed. "There wasn't anything Cordelia or myself could do to stop it, we had no control over it when Charles died."
"When one Mate dies, the other being invested in both mind and body, would die as well." I said as I looked back to my great-grandfather. "A wise Vulcan once told me more details about the effects of a SoulMark, but I never found a case to connect or verify such a claim."
"SoulMarks...are a wondrous yet painful existence." My great-grandfather stated. "I had raised you, Barnabas, the best that I could in memory of my Mate and my dearest friend, but my family had taken such a strong hold on our lives at the moment of Cordelia's passing. They had insisted that I move on not even days after her passing to raise my son properly, that I grew to resent them. I had lost my world and they had no compassion or empathy toward the woman who gave them a grandson. The man I once was when they were around, my whole being, died the day that they had. I became exactly who my parents wanted me to be. A proud and dutiful DeLuca." My great-grandfather looked sadly at my grandfather. "It's sad for me to admit, but I had failed to raise you the way that your mother had intended."
"You didn't fail Father." My grandfather stated.
"As a DeLuca, you were raised well, that I didn't fail. But you did not turn out the way Cordelia, Charles and myself had planned." My great-grandfather stated. "We were going to break away from the ideals of my family, yet in that moment…in a blink of an eye everything was taken from me. It diminished any chances of ever making that future happen, and look where we are now. Baring our claws at family members when there is no need for such tactics. A disappointment and a shame to their memory."
The room remained silent, even the man who had so much to say today couldn't utter a word as the sudden news sank in to each and every one of us.
"Cordelia lives on in each and every one of you, from my child, my grandchildren to my great-grandchildren. But her spirit has been warped and changed to fit the norm of our family." My great-grandfather said. "I should've taken better charge of the lives of my son, of my family, but without Cordelia or Charles by my side...I didn't have the courage to go against my family alone. I-I have always regretted never being able to showcase my amazing Mate and my best friend to my family."
"Allyson, step close." My great-grandfather commanded, and instead of being afraid like I had a few minutes ago I complied willingly with ease. Without needing to support his weight with his cane, my great-grandfather reached out and took both my hands into his own. Weathered and calloused from years serving in Starfleet, his leathered hands gripped my own tightly as our hands dangled in the space between us. "Allyson, do you know why I decided, without consulting you, that you would be the leader of our family after I pass?" I simply shook my head, listening and waiting for my great-grandfather to explain his reasoning. "Because you did something that I did not have the courage to do. You are doing something that was a distant dream for myself, my Mate and my best friend."
"I-I don't understand great-grandfather..." I said as my great-grandfather simply gave me a knowing smile.
"Don't you?" My great-grandfather asked. "You didn't do what my son, your grandfather had planned for you. And you probably hid them when you were a child, but now you're displaying your Marks proudly. You've stood up to your Father, my Son, as well as myself. Something that I know my Mate…my Cordelia, would've done had she been in your shoes." My great-grandfather pointed to the center of my chest. "You follow your heart, you do what you know is right."
"But great-grandfather, I don't want that life." I confessed, finding it easier now to talk to him then when I had felt when I first walked into this very room.
"I know you don't, which is why I'm leaving that decision to you. A choice, something that I was never given. I wasn't able to give that life to Cordelia or Charles, the opportunity to do so was taken from me, but I will not make that mistake with you. I will not be that person to you as my parents were to me. I was not strong enough to face my family head on, but you are…and I will accept whatever you decide." My great-grandfather stated. "I will not force you to hide like I felt I needed to do. Whatever you say or do from this point on, no matter what your foolish parents or any of our relatives for that matter, think. You, my dear, are so much stronger than any of us present."
"I want to serve aboard the Enterprise," I firmly said. "to serve under my Captain alongside both of my Mates."
"Then you shall remain there." My great-grandfather lovingly smiled. "But, I do hope that one day in the future, when I am gone and you are much older...that you consider my request because it will only ever be yours to take."
"...thank you, Great-Grandfather." I said, addressing him with the utmost respect he deserved.
"I should like to meet them." My great-grandfather said. "Your Mates."
"They're probably waiting for me to return to them," I said, tilting my head to the side at my great-grandfather's request. "I can ask if they would like to meet you, but I can't guarantee they would come if the whole family is present."
"Curious..." My great-grandfather hummed before looking past me. "Celestyn, dear, don't you have something to say to your sister?"
I was confused at what my great-grandfather was getting at before taking a step back to look to where I knew my sister was, and I was taken by surprise when my sister had looked away from us. She looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar...as I heard a few people back in the academy say when someone was caught doing something wrong.
"Celestyn..." My great-grandfather gave a playful warning and when she didn't answer my great-grandfather let out a sigh before addressing everyone in the room. "I do believe that there are people here...who weren't invited, but snuck in by my mischievous great-grandchild. If this applies to you, please step forward."
"What do you-" My great-grandfather held up a finger to his lips, urging me to keep quiet and to watch as he motioned back toward the crowd.
From the sea of people, I watched as a large group of the hired help started to move, hesitantly at first but they had started pushing and forcing their way through the mass of people before they stood at the very front of our family members.
"Do you mind?" My great-grandfather asked as he motioned toward his eyes. "I'd like to see who had the nerve to sneak into my party."
One by one, each person reached up to the mask that sat on their face and when they had pulled it off I saw familiar faces staring and nervously smiling back at me. "Hey, Ally."
"Jim?" I asked, completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words. "How did you guys...why are you...?"
"Celestyn." My great-grandfather motioned to my sister, looking at her with a smile and waiting for her to explain even though from the tone he was using with her I suspected that he already knew why my crew was here.
Celestyn sighed, letting out a frustrated huff before pouting. "...when did you find out...?"
"A hundred I may be," My great-grandfather sighed. "but I'm not going senile just yet. As someone in my position, the safety of my family is important to me...even if they can be insufferable at times. Give it a few more years, Celestyn, and maybe you would be able to pull the wool over my eyes and get away with it." When Celestyn continued to pout my great-grandfather simply chuckled. "Did you not think I wouldn't recognize that there are far more people here to serve at this party than was originally planned? Adding to it, the sudden need to conceal themselves with those pointless masks. Our vain personalities may have brushed it off as logical, but I found it quite suspicious. I knew instantly that something was wrong the second they stepped foot into this room. I simply allowed this little charade to continue because it wasn't doing any harm to anyone."
"Celestyn," My father looked toward my sister. "is this true?"
"Sir, with all due respect." Jim spoke up. "We asked her to bring us here."
"Why?" My great-grandfather asked curiously.
"Because she's a part of our crew, a wonderful officer that cares about us...someone we can go to for help at all times of the day." Nyota said from beside Spock as she turned to look at me with a smile. "Our best friend and sister."
"We wanted to make sure that she stays...the amazing person that she is." Leonard said as he held eye contact with me the second my attention was drawn to him.
"Yes, I've seen your attempts." My great-grandfather said. "Out of all of you here, which of you two is Allyson's SoulMates?"
Leonard and Khan, with no hesitation, immediately stepped forward and came to stand directly on either side of me, but neither of them looked at me. Their eyes were solely focused down at my great-grandfather who stared back at my Mates as a challenge with that same smile he had given me aimed at them.
"Bones and Khan I presume?" My great-grandfather questioned as he held out his hand toward the three of us.
"Chief Medical Officer Leonard H. McCoy, sir." Leonard responded as he reached out to shake my great-grandfather's hand with Khan following soon after, though Khan was a bit hesitant to shake his hand compared to Leonard. "Khan Noonien Singh. Engineer division."
"Engineer?" My great-grandfather quirked his brow, seemingly looking and expecting something more. "Or Captain?"
"Pardon?" Khan asked as my great-grandfather chuckled.
"Son, I know a Captain when I see it. I've been around my fair share." My great-grandfather said. "I don't know your reasoning, and I was never one to be nosy. I just have one request from the both of you." Leonard and Khan listened intently to what my great-grandfather was about to say as he leaned forward slightly in his chair. "Watch over my dear Allyson, won't you? If she's anything like my Cordelia, she'll continuously get into a lot of trouble. She will need assurance from the both of you in times when she needs it, in times when she may not believe in herself." It seemed like one of them was about to respond because my great-grandfather held his hand up to ask them to wait till he was finished. "As well as watch out for each other, because I can see the love and care you both have for Allyson in your eyes that myself and Charles had for Cordelia. Remember, whatever happens to either of you...will happen to her."
"You have our word, sir, she will be well looked after." Leonard proclaimed as I felt his hand sneak into my own, gripping it tightly as I looked up to my doctor who gave me one of his most charming smiles. "And we will look after each other. That I can promise."
"Allyson, you have an amazing crew who care so much about you, and to go to such lengths to make sure that you're comfortable? You must be quite an officer to garner such respect and love from your friends." My great-grandfather said. "Captain or Commander, I am very proud of you my dear."
"Thank you...Great-Grandfather." I said, touched at hearing such words that I've never heard from a family member, before he looked back to my Mates and then to my crew.
"You two, and your crew...take Allyson away from here. The party is over for her." My great-grandfather said. "A wind of change is upon us and I need to have a word with my family about accepting this change as well as scolding them for their shameful behavior on this night."
"Allyson," Khan wrapped his arm around my waist and began to gently lead me away. "come along."
I allowed my two Mates to lead me away, my friends smiling and crowding around me when I had reached my crew mates and I felt as if there was a large bubble that shielded me from the eyes of my family. I felt safe and free.
"And Allyson." My great-grandfather called out to me once more and when I turned back to look at him he had nodded his head. "Don't be a stranger, I would very much appreciate a call every so often when you resume your five year mission in space."
When we had left the party, that was it. None of my family members tried to stop me, and even if they did my crew would've simply pushed me forward. I was free to leave. Everything felt so...surreal. To hear my Great-Grandfather say he was proud of me, to give me the chance to decide what I wanted to do when in the past I didn't get that opportunity, and to be accepted for my Marks, to have it shown to people I was told to keep it hidden from...I felt like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders.
My friends had said that we have a while to enjoy our leave before we head back into space so there was no rush to spend time with each other and bid me farewell, but not before I had thanked all of them for the trouble they went through to look out for me. Jim had brushed me off, saying that it was the least they could do after I had always watched their own back, and that touched me.
But the moment came and went when Jim had mentioned that I needed to spend some quality time with Leonard and Khan, sexual innuendo heavily implied. I punched him in his shoulder and told him to go away.
"Quite an...interesting night, wouldn't you agree?" Leonard asked as he came to sit on the couch in our shared apartment that we were given for the remainder of our days here in Yorktown, free of charge as a thank you for saving the lives of everyone on this starbase.
Still in my dress, I curled my legs underneath me and snuggled up to Leonard's side. "It was…very interesting indeed."
"I'd say it was more exhausting." Khan said as he came to sit on the opposite side of me, occupying that empty seat and keeping me sandwiched between them.
"To think that my Great-Grandmother was in the same position as I am. I wish I could've spoken to her, be able to ask her so many things swimming in my head." I whispered, thinking back to the holographic image of the smiling woman. "Two Marks...and my Great-Grandfather had to go through such a terrible ordeal with losing his friend and his SoulMate."
"It's horrible what happened." Khan nuzzled the side of my face. "I promise you Allyson, nothing will happen to you...and even you McCoy."
"Well aren't you precious." Leonard scoffed, his body shifting underneath me as he started to undo his bowtie. "With us heading back into space, much can happen to us."
"Then more so I would have to keep a close eye on the both of you." Khan shook his head. "I hope you'll make my life easy, McCoy."
"Being on the Enterprise, trouble will always follow us around," I smiled as I reached out to pat both of their legs to prevent any argument that was about to start up. "In the end…we always come out on the other side in one piece."
"Yeah, a mangled piece." Leonard chuckled. "But you're right, still in one piece."
"It'll be dangerous, but don't worry. I'll make sure my boys stay safe." I chuckled before my laugh tapered off. "Can I ask you two something?" I'm not sure who, but I heard a slight hum in confirmation to signal that I could ask away. "Why did you guys decide to crash the party?"
"Why did you keep the party event from us?" Khan asked as his steel blue eyes stared back into my own. "You've had problems with your family, yet you decided to go into the battlefield alone."
"I...I didn't want to bother anyone with a problem no one would've been able to solve." I said as I nervously looked back to my lap.
"No, we wouldn't have been able to solve it." Leonard said as he gave my leg a squeeze. "But damn it we would've tried to find a way because we're your Mates, Allyson. You can always depend on us for help...just as we depended on you the past five years."
"We were at the party," Khan interrupted. "because everyone, including myself and McCoy, was concerned that you would let your family's constant berating get to you. We were there to catch you if you fell down that hole of self doubt and despair."
I smiled, sniffling as I felt my tears threatening to fall. "Thank you..."
"Don't cry, Ally." Leonard chuckled as he reached up to wipe the strays that had fallen. "There's no need to thank us, it's what we're supposed to do. And I did promise you that your future will only get better, so no more crying. Doctor's orders."
"Allyson," Khan spoke up. "I noticed that no one had sincerely told you this tonight at the party, but you look exquisite. A picture of beauty above all else."
I looked to Khan, familiar words being repeated back as the cogs in my brain tried to pinpoint why they sounded familiar, and when I finally registered why I lightly poked Khan. "That was you!"
"I thought it best to tell you that myself instead of hearing it from the hired help." Khan chuckled as Leonard let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you have anything to say to Allyson, McCoy?"
"I don't need you to tell me what needs to be said. I'm just upset I wasn't able to say it sooner." Leonard grumbled before he reached out for my chin, gently turning my face to him. "Khan is right though, Allyson. Out of all the women in the universe they pale in comparison to your beauty."
"Such a charmer." I giggled.
"What can I say," Leonard shrugged as he leaned forward to place a featherlike kiss to my lips. "it's just my southern charm."
"Allyson," Khan, to no one's surprise, pulled me away from Leonard and dragged me closer to his body. "don't be afraid to be selfish. If you need something from us, tell us. I need you to promise this to the both of us."
'He wants me to be selfish?' I thought as I couldn't help the devilish smirk sneak its way onto my face. I reached up and grabbed the sides of Khan's vest, pulling his body toward me and crashing my lips onto his, taking him completely by surprise. And he was caught off guard because when I pulled away, wide blue eyes stared back at me. Being used to instigating things himself, he hadn't expected me to make the first move and show such passion. I chuckled as I gently released the fabric, smoothing it down and patted his chest. "I promise."
"You have a bit of lipstick on the side of your mouth." Leonard teased as I settled comfortably between the two men. "Cat got your tongue, Khan?"
While Leonard and Khan bickered, though Leonard mostly instigated the teasing...Khan would simply use one-word shut downs that caused Leonard to stutter. The fighting hasn't stopped, but at least they were playfully arguing compared to how they were four years ago. I think that if it was the same as four years ago, they would've been at each other's throats. I'll take this over that any day.
"Leonard. Khan." I shook my head as I got to my feet. "I want to dance."
"What?" The two men stared back at me in confusion and a little tense as I turned to look at the two still seated men with my hands on my hips.
"We don't have to go out, we can dance here." I said as I motioned to our shared apartment. "I'm in such a beautiful dress, and you're in such nice outfits, it would be a shame to let it go to waste." "But-" "We don't-" "I saw what happened down on the android planet, Jim showed me something very interesting that happened in the main room with you two while I was running around the planet to immobilize and overload all the androids. I know for a fact you two can dance."
Leonard and Khan's eyes visibly darkened at the mention of there being a recording of their little stunt. I rolled my eyes and reached for the nearby controller, pressing what I could only assume was the button that controlled the speakers in this room. Over the speakers, a classical ballroom type of song began to play and I instantly started to sway to the beat.
"Come on, Khan. You said I should be selfish every once in a while, and I want to dance." I pleaded, reaching out to grab both their hands, giving their sleeves a gentle tug as I urged them to get to their feet. "You're not going to let a beautiful lady dance by herself are you?"
Khan had sighed while Leonard shook his head with a smile as they both got to their feet.
I was instantly swept off my feet, figuratively and literally. The three of us danced the night away as I was traded off between both my Mates, giving me a chance to dance with both of them to my heart's content. I couldn't be more happier with how this day ended, having such a wonderful moment in a little bubble with my Leonard and my Khan.
I was excited to have more days like this, whether it was fighting off some alien lifeforms in space...or relaxing in our shared quarters on the Enterprise. So long as I was always with them, my days would aways be tranquil.
Jim was right, they were really great dancers.
I thought this was a fitting chapter, to show that there is someone who will be on Allyson, Khan and Leonard's side (and the most important person as well). It's a fitting end result for our lovely Allyson and her amazing Mates. ^w^
HEADS UP! PLEASE READ!After this chapter, I will have an "open-ended" chapter that will make this story 'complete'. Then after that 'open-ending' there will be a side chapter called "The Butterfly Dream". I will explain more when I finally post a 'Thank you' chapter after the side chapter.
If you are enjoying yourself and my story: review, follow, and favorite! But it's not mandatory =) just knowing that you gave my story a chance, and decided to read my creation makes me incredibly happy! Stay safe out there wherever you may be in the world!
-SO