Authors Note: I don't own the ship, the characters, or anything at all.
Chapter 20 – Newfound Knowledge"Doctor!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She had been in sickbay for the last two days, and was getting seriously fed-up with the situation. Now, she had a chance to persuade the doctor to let her go, she was going to do her best to make it happen. After all she had managed to persuade the captain to go and get some rest this morning, even though everyone had told her she wouldn't be able to. All she had had to do was express concern of her exhausted state of mind, and worry that she might end up making herself ill, and the captain consented to going to her quarters. Elizabeth had forgotten about the conditions the captain had given her, and was now following the doctor around sickbay protesting that she was well enough to leave.
"I will let you go tomorrow morning, as agreed", the doctor said exasperated.
"Cant I go now, what difference is one day going to make?" Elizabeth pursued.
"You will leave tomorrow, and will be confined to quarters for a further two days and I will be stopping by to check on your progress. Then you will be allowed to wander the ship again," the doctor said for what seemed to him to be the hundredth time today.
"But…"Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest.
"No more buts, your moth," he stopped realising what he had just said, and quickly carried on hoping Elizabeth hadn't noticed.
"Captain told me not to let you out of my sight, and that is what I intend to do." The doctor blushed, considerably nervous that she might have picked up on his mistake.
Elizabeth pouted, "Doctor what were you going to say?"
"I've said all I have to say", the doctor said hastily.
"No, not now, before you said captain", Elizabeth said, sparks of curiosity shining in her eyes.
"Nothing, nothing at all", the doctor said, making for his office, but Elizabeth stepped in front of him blocking him off.
"It sounded like mother", she whispered, as though she were afraid to say it.
"Elizabeth, I …" he began, but she cut him off sharply.
"So its true then", she said quietly.
"Yes, its true. I shouldn't have said anything, the captain was going to tell you as soon as you were better", he said guiltily.
"I knew something weird was going on", she said, evenly.
"You did, how?" the doctor looked taken aback.
"Well, I haven't seen the captain in years and then she goes all maternal on me", she said, a sad smile gracing her face.
"True", the doctor agreed.
"Can I leave sickbay now?" she asked again, hoping he would let her go, she needed some time on her own.
The doctor stood there staring at her, he sighed "Alright, but I want you to get some rest in your quarters, I'll stop by later to check up on you."
Elizabeth nodded and went behind the privacy screen to get changed, the doctor shook his head and decided to go and tell Tom what he had let slip. Elizabeth emerged from behind the screen to an empty sickbay, and smiled, she had been told the doctor was a gossip; she wondered whom he had gone off to tell.
Shaking her head, she headed out of the door and to her quarters. The corridors were quiet and luckily she didn't run into anyone on her way. Sighing she entered her quarters only to be greeted by the sight of herself in the mirror, hell, did she look pale and tired.
Heading for the bathroom, she ran a bath. Relaxing in the hot, bubbly water, she began to think about what she had just been told. After all these years of wanting, needing a mother she had had one all along. She laughed, she had dreamt of what her mother was like, but never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined this. Suddenly the consequences of her newfound knowledge hit her like a knife through the heart. What was going to happen now? Why had she given her away? Didn't she want her? Didn't she love her?
Breaking down, she began to wonder if maybe it had been better believing her mother was dead, at least that way she knew she hadn't given her up willingly and that she truly loved her.
-Fin-
Please review, if you don't I'll just take it that you don't want anymore. What happens? Why was she given away? Etc. These questions will be answered in the next few chapters, but I would love to hear your own theories.
