AN: Here is another little oneshot/episode for these two that I'm just enjoying playing with. As usual, I believe it can be read alone, but it will only be enhanced if you read it along with the others.
I own nothing from Star Trek.
I hope you enjoy! If you do, please do let me know! I love sharing with you!
111
"Oh—Little One, you should have seen them…" Lwaxana declared. "They were simply adorable."
Deanna Troi didn't approve of all of her mother's choices, and she didn't really feel the need to hold back on her opinions. Of course, the Betazoid culture was one of openness. It was difficult to hide one's feelings when everyone was telepathic and empathic. Even though Deanna wasn't fully telepathic, she was so in the presence of other Betazoids and, especially, when she was with her mother. Lwaxana's abilities were, on the whole, strong enough to make up for any weaknesses in most other individuals' telepathic abilities.
Lwaxana was, at this point, even working with great care to train her mind to connect with Odo's consciousness so that they could enjoy the telepathic communication that was somewhat characteristic of Betazoid imzadis—beloveds.
Lwaxana Troi was Odo's beloved wife, and he was her beloved husband, whether or not they had achieved telepathic connection yet that imzadis traditionally shared.
Of course, if anyone had asked Odo, when he first met Lwaxana Troi, what he thought about becoming her husband and father to their children, he would have told the person that just to suggest such a thing was absolute madness. The truth of the matter, though, was that, as he grew to truly know Lwaxana, Odo had come to believe that there was no greater being in any world, and he knew that he could never love anyone in quite the same way as he loved her.
Her love for him, as well, gave him a peace and happiness he might have never imagined would be possible for a being such as himself.
Deanna's facial expression communicated her feelings before she ever opened her mouth to speak. Odo didn't mind Deanna's criticisms of her mother's choices on his own behalf, and he would neither say nor do anything that would upset Lwaxana, but he wouldn't allow her to hurt her mother. If he could stop it, Odo wouldn't allow anyone or anything to hurt Lwaxana—not in any way.
"Mother—embryos are hardly adorable. At this point, they're hardly more than masses of cells," Deanna said. Immediately, she made a face. "I'm sorry if that's insensitive, Odo."
Odo brought the tray with tea, sandwiches, and a few little cakes and cookies for Deanna and Lwaxana. If he'd been there, Mr. Homn would have served them, but he had been dismissed to take in some leisure activity aboard the Enterprise. Odo served Lwaxana because he enjoyed the act of doing so. If Deanna hadn't been present, he would have convinced her to let him feed her something for her lunch—an act of intimacy which they both enjoyed, though he suspected that he enjoyed it most—and he found he was actually a touch more resentful of Deanna for denying him that quiet intimacy, at the moment, than he was for any implication that he was little more than a mass of cells.
"I have taken no offense, Deanna," Odo offered. "We are all, in essence, little more than a mass of cells."
She looked slightly taken aback, and Lwaxana laughed heartily. Odo felt warmed by her laughter, and he laughed, too.
"Doctor Crusher said nobody had never seen movement like with our little ones," Lwaxana said. "Oh—you could actually see it, Deanna, on the screen. She said they were in a state of almost constant activity."
"Do have a sandwich, Beloved," Odo offered, placing a plate in Lwaxana's hands so that her conversation wouldn't distract her to the point of forgetting her food. "Remember—you need to rest and guard your strength."
"Oh—I'm fine, Odo," Lwaxana assured him with a smile. She did take the food, though, and Odo knew that she would obediently eat it for him. "Thank you, Beloved—you do take such good care of me. Of us…oh—Odo—of all of us."
Odo felt a rush of overwhelm as the thought hit him, all at once and like a wave, of everything Lwaxana was saying with such a simple statement. Just that morning, barely even two hours before, Doctor Crusher had taken them on the first steps to becoming parents to their own biological offspring. Together, they were already raising Veta, their half-Betazoid and half-Tavnian son—and the brother that Deanna had cared for during the morning and was still holding on her lap—but this would mean that their family was growing even more.
Doctor Crusher had carefully helped to fertilize Lwaxana's eggs with Odo's DNA through a state of the art fertilization procedure, and she'd cared for their developing embryos, monitoring their growth, until they were strong enough for transfer. Today, two weeks after their fertilization, the viable embryos had been transferred to Lwaxana's uterus where, hopefully, they would attach and grow even more.
"She's never seen anything like it, and you allowed it them to be placed in your womb, Mother," Deanna said. Her tone said everything her words didn't say.
"How else would they get there, Little One?" Lwaxana asked with a laugh. "They could hardly transport themselves…and I'll never get used to that method of relocation, anyway. I'm so pleased that Doctor Crusher was willing to forego that possibility and help to introduce them to their environment in a much more old-fashioned way."
Deanna frowned at her mother, and when Lwaxana had eaten a bite of her sandwich, she touched Deanna's face affectionately. Veta reached for her, and Odo swooped in to take the little boy so that he wouldn't interfere too greatly with the conversation between mother and daughter. Veta looked at Odo like he might fuss over not having his mother, when he'd clearly requested her with outstretched arms, but he decided against it when Odo offered him a little banana that he mushed with a spoon.
"Little One—I understand that you're concerned. This is an adventure into the unknown for all of us, but I am happy beyond measure to do this…and Odo will support me every step of the way. Odo—Darling—don't feed him to much of that if you're not going to offer him some vegetables. He fussed yesterday from Mr. Homn feeding him all of his favorites too early in the meal…and I would like to avoid the meltdown."
Odo smiled. He gathered up his son.
"I'll bring him a plate and see if he's truly hungry," Odo assured her. He took Veta to get a small plate of the baby's food choices. When he returned, he could tell from Deanna's demeanor that her mother had likely said at least a few more words in his absence—whether or not she'd said them out loud, he couldn't be certain. He didn't say anything. Instead, he sat and began offering Veta food from his own tiny plate. Their son was a good eater, and he happily accepted what Odo had to give him.
"So—you're pregnant, then, Mother?" Deanna asked. "Is that what I'm to understand?"
"I suppose—yes and no?" Lwaxana said. She smiled sincerely. Her happiness radiated out. Deanna smiled, in spite of herself, just to feel it, and Odo felt it, too. He was certain, as well, that Veta must be able to feel it, because the baby made a noise like a happy little squeal around his mouth full of food, and Lwaxana laughed in response. "Doctor Crusher expertly placed the embryos in my womb, Deanna—but it's up to them to attach and grow, from what I understand."
"For that reason," Odo offered, "your mother is to rest for the next two or three days. She isn't to engage in anything strenuous or stressful."
"How many embryos, Mother," Deanna asked, a hint of disapproval in her tone. There was a furrow between her brows.
"Four were viable," Lwaxana said. "Two have been frozen, in case we need them, and two have been transferred."
"Twins?" Deanna asked.
"If both were to attach," Lwaxana said with a shrug.
"Which is very unlikely," Odo offered. "We are keeping our expectations low."
Lwaxana rubbed her stomach with her fingers—something she'd done several times since the transfer, especially during the half hour when Odo had held her hand in sickbay while she rested, lying down, as Doctor Crusher had instructed.
"We'll remain aboard the Enterprise for as long as my work allows," Lwaxana said. "In a week, Doctor Crusher will be able to determine if I'm pregnant. After that, we'll know what we need to do next."
"Which will be?"
"Either another transfer, when the time is right," Lwaxana said, "or we'll move forward with the treatment plan for the pregnancy, if I am pregnant. Honestly, Deanna—I thought you would look happy for me, not as though you're attending a funeral."
"You have no idea how this is going to affect you, Mother," Deanna said. "They're only embryos, and already they're behaving in an entirely unprecedented manner."
"They're certainly sure to be anything but ordinary," Lwaxana said. "But, then, none of this has been ordinary, Deanna. It's a wonderful adventure for our family—and I do hope that includes you, Little One. I would like your support, if you see fit to offer it to me."
Lwaxana had been amazing through all of this. It was Odo, to any onlooker, which would seem the most anxious. It had been Odo that Doctor Crusher had reassured during the earlier procedure. Their options for transferring the embryos had involved either a transporter-type transfer that was a quite new procedure, or something more old-fashioned, though a bit more uncomfortable for Lwaxana. Odo had allowed Lwaxana to choose what pleased her, especially after noticing her recoil a bit at the thought that their embryos would go through a type of molecular transportation. She had chosen the more old-fashioned method without hesitation, and she'd undergone the whole thing without even a word of complaint. Even during the transfer, which Odo was sure was at least somewhat uncomfortable, Lwaxana had held his hand, smiled at him, and offered him a wink of encouragement over his own feelings of discomfort.
She deserved any and all support that she wanted from everyone—especially when she was asking nothing more than a positive environment in which to fully conceive of their offspring.
Odo wasn't telepathic, but he tried his best to send Deanna a message of his staunch disapproval of any negativity she may bring to her mother's presence. Perhaps she sensed it, somehow, because she shifted a little as he made eye contact with her and sighed.
"Of course, I support you, Mother. I am adjusting, too, to the idea that—I'm caring for my little brother and…anticipating the arrival of…of...possibly twins."
"Oh—are you feeling jealous, Deanna?" Lwaxana asked. "Oh—you'll always be my Little One. My precious…beautiful…wonderful, Deanna! I love all of you individually and specially. Nobody would ever replace you, just as nobody will ever replace Veta. You will always be precious to me, Deanna, beyond measure."
Odo ached. He heard what Lwaxana didn't say. He was sure that Deanna heard it, too. Nobody would ever replace Kestra, either, though Lwaxana hardly ever said so for the fact that she still could barely speak of her lost daughter without crying. Lwaxana, for all the faults that those looking for them may find in her, loved deeply, and that was especially true for her children. She was a wholly devoted mother.
If anyone was to be a mother to half-Betazoid and half-Changeling, Odo couldn't imagine that anyone in the universe was better-suited to it than Lwaxana Troi.
"I'm concerned about the possible complications, Mother. If the embryos are already acting abnormal…"
"Unique, Dear," Lwaxana offered. "They are simply active. Possibly restless. Babies need the warmth and safety of their mothers' wombs, Deanna. They find their peace there to rest and grow. They are half-Betazoid, and Betazoid babies naturally seek empathic connection with their mothers. Why—my poor little ones have only known each other, and the cold environment of a laboratory. It's only natural that they were restless. I'm sure they're already much more settled—comfortable and protected in an environment designed especially for them. I'm sure they're feeling me, even now, and I will soon be feeling their presence as they settle into their new home."
"It will be a wonderful environment for them," Odo assured her, cleaning up Veta from the mess he'd made with his choices of pureed food.
"You know, Deanna, I would love to be having a conversation about the further growth of my family through you, too, Dear—if your Rider would ever decide to marry you and give you a home and children."
"Riker, Mother, you know that," Deanna said.
"Whatever," Lwaxana said. "He has had plenty of opportunity. You know—if he hadn't dawdled so much, you might have little ones of your own by now."
"He has other aspirations, Mother," Deanna said. "Becoming a captain is very important to him."
"I don't see why he can't aspire to multi-task like the rest of us," Lwaxana said. "We hardly put one part of our life entirely on hold while pursing the growth of another. If everyone could only pursue one thing at a time, societies would never progress, and we'd all still be in our earliest forms of survival."
"Mother…"
"I'm only saying, Deanna, that the human lifespan is not as long as the Betazoid lifespan. I want you to know love, my Little One. I want you to know the happiness of being with your imzadi. I want you to have the family that I know you want. You forget, sometimes, that I know your heart, Deanna, in more ways than one—I helped to create it, after all."
Deanna half-smiled, but it was a sad smile.
"I only want you to have time to enjoy things," Lwaxana said. "I know, from losing your father, that it all goes far too quickly."
Deanna looked at Odo. He was balancing Veta on his legs, trying discreetly to change his form just enough to create a flat space for Veta's feet, without drawing too much attention to his changeability, lest it should cause Deanna some discomfort.
Deanna gave him a soft look that reminded him of Lwaxana. Odo smiled in response.
"How long is the lifespan for Changelings?" Deanna asked. "If that's not too rude to ask."
"I don't know," Odo admitted. "There has been no way of telling, either. We could be immortal, for all I know, or my life could be reaching its natural conclusion."
He didn't say what he said for any sort of sympathy or pity. He simply answered her question openly and honestly. If he was going to spend the rest of his life—however long that may be—in the company of Betazoids, he intended to try to embrace the openness of their species.
Lwaxana leaned and touched Odo's leg affectionately. Veta reached for her and she held her arms out for him. Odo stood up.
"I'll bring him to you, Beloved," Odo said. "I don't want you overdoing things. Remember that Doctor Crusher requested that you rest."
"Carrying Veta is hardly a workout," Lwaxana said. "Especially since I do it every day."
Odo ignored her and placed their son in her lap. Veta, fully accustomed to nursing and already understanding how to get what he wanted, pulled at the plunging neckline of his mother's dress. Lwaxana knew very little modesty, and that was a good thing, since Veta had no reservations about publicly disrobing his mother. She said nothing. Instead, she simply situated him so that he could finish out his meal in peace.
"It's sad that you don't know how long you have together," Deanna said, softening a great deal from her earlier stiffness.
"Nobody knows how long they have together, Little One," Lwaxana said. "It's the greatest sadness of mortality. Of course, it's also what makes every moment so precious. I don't want you to waste any of what you have."
"Is that why you're doing this? Trying to have twins, at your age, when Veta's still young?" Deanna asked.
Lwaxana smiled.
"Odo and I don't want to waste a moment," Lwaxana said. "Not if we have one year or a hundred more together. I'm healthy. Doctor Crusher is a capable physician with numerous scientists helping her—the Federation's finest. They have a very strong scientific interest in this pregnancy and our offspring. They want to support us in every way possible. The eggs were viable. I'm doing this now because there's no need to wait, Little One, to do the things that you know you want to do. Odo and I will be thrilled to grow our family—by however many little Betazoid-Changelings we might be lucky enough to have."
Deanna looked at Odo.
"I can't read you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Your mother is trying very hard to find that a telepathic connection with me," Odo said. "Perhaps, when her understanding of how my species' consciousness works is better, I will be able to connect with you, as well. In the meantime, I will try to be as open as any Betazoid."
Deanna half-smiled in response.
"You really do love my mother, don't you?"
Odo smiled. The familiar warmth flooded his body. He felt the happy vibration inside of him that he had learned was the physical response of his form to the overwhelming love that he did feel.
"So much so that I do not imagine that love is even a sufficient word for the feelings I have for Lwaxana," Odo said sincerely.
"And you want all of this?" Deanna asked.
"My family?" Odo asked. He felt a heavy, sinking feeling of sadness over the thought that something—though there was no actual threat—might try to take it from him. "Deanna—I have always considered myself a peaceful being. However, I would not allow anything to harm my family or take them from me in any way. I would wish to count you among my family…if you would accept that I have relatively little to offer beyond myself and my genuine affections."
Deanna considered him a moment. Her gaze was intense. He sensed that she was communicating to him the same thing—she would protect her family.
They had common ground. Maybe she sensed that from Odo, as well.
Finally, she smiled at him.
"I feel we are already family," she said. "As I understand it, you will frequently be aboard the Enterprise. However, you and my mother will also be travelling for work and residing at Deep Space Nine while…our family…is in this period of growth."
"That is correct," Odo said.
"My mother can be very stubborn," Deanna said.
"Why—Deanna!" Lwaxana barked. Her offense was mostly pretended. She knew she was stubborn. Deanna's lips formed a tight line and she narrowed her eyes at her mother. There was nothing left to say. Odo understood the rest. He laughed to himself.
"I am no match for Lwaxana," Odo said. "I would venture to say that no being in any of the quadrants is. However, I will do my best to ensure her constant safety and well-being—as well as the well-being of Veta and any other child that we may welcome as our family grows." He smiled at her. "That would, of course, extend to any grandchildren that we may ever welcome…"
Deanna looked offended for half a second, and then she laughed.
"He's as terrible as you are, Mother!" She declared.
Lwaxana laughed, looking at Odo with all the love and affection that made him feel like every day was the best of his existence.
"You mean wonderful, Little One! And, yes, he absolutely is!"