Chapter 2
"So…Heather. I hear that before you came to DS9, you worked on a starship of all-disabled crew called the U.S.S Ability. That must have been interesting." Captain Sisko said later that day, as Dr. Bashir ran his tricorder over Heather. Heather smiled and got a faraway look in her eyes.
"It was so cool. I mean, no explaining, no staring, no gawking, no nothing! It was just like…having a disability was normal. And on the Ability, it was." It was then that Captain Sisko realized just how much Heather must have been through.
Dr. Bashir set his tricorder down. "Well, other than the C.P of course, you're in perfect health." Heather shot him a Look. She didn't want to get in trouble on her first day on DS9, but she hated it when people stated the obvious like that. Dr. Bashir softened a bit. He knew how tough things must be for her. "Anyway, you're free to go."
Heather wandered around the station the rest of the afternoon. Finally, exhausted, she went to Quark's for a drink, where she met up with Major Kira.
"Hey Heather." Heather smiled. "Hey…Kira, was it?" Kira nodded. "You look exhausted." Heather nodded tiredly.
"Yeah. Walking tires me out a lot, and I've been walking all around DS9 all afternoon." Kira nodded thoughtfully. "I'm surprised that cerebral palsy is one of the few disabilities they haven't cured yet…" she confided. "They came so close in the 21st century with stem cell research…" Her voice trailed off and she shook her head.
There was a moment of silence. Then, "Would you accept a cure if they had one?"
Heather shook her head vehemently. She had given a lot of thought to this. Ignoring Kira's surprised, and slightly shocked, look, she plowed ahead. "Cerebral palsy affects all that I do, all that I say. It affects my thoughts, my views, even my personality. Having CP influences my personality way too much. If I 'cured' it, it would be like taking away part of my personality.
Kira shook her head slowly. "Wow….I never thought of it that way." Heather smiled a thin smile. "Well, try spending a day in my shoes." Then she pushed her chair back, and slipped her hand in her crutch. Kira watched in wonder as Heather's small figure disappeared through the bar doors. One conversation, one woman, had just given her a whole new outlook on life.
A/N: Well, it's the weekend, and I finally have time to update! Whoopee! Anyway for anyone that's been reading my Full House fanfic, I've got a bad case of writer's block; any ideas? OK so anyway Heather's point of view on a cure is exactly the same as mine. If you haven't read my Full House story, or if you haven't guessed by now, the character of Heather is based on myself. I have mild cerebral palsy and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Anyway like I said, I have the same view on a cure that Heather does: I don't want one. CP influences my personality too much to give it up. Anyway, as I leave you with those inspiring words, I'd like to say this: KEEP REVIEWING! ALL MY STORIES: KEEP REVIEWING! Thanks!