All About the Heart: Chapter One
Disclaimer: The characters from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine belong to the franchise for Star Trek Deep Space Nine ™. I do not claim possession of any copyrighted characters. Any and all other characters belong to me and may not be used without my permission.
Rating: PG
Main Characters: Vic Fontaine, Dr. Julian Bashir, Amee Jorgenson
Chapter one. In a time of emergency, Vic Fontaine is called upon to hide a young female ensign from a previous lover stalking her through the halls of Deep Space Nine. Please R&R.
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A constant buzzing sound was edging around Amee Jorgeson's consciousness, brushing past her mind and slowly bringing her up from the drowsy realm of sleep. One violet eye blinked open, followed by a second, and than finally, her head emerged from beneath the coverlet of her bed. Her mind slowly pieced together where the noise was originating, and she ruffled a hand through her hair in an attempt to tidy it. "Computer, what time is it?" The coolly composed voice of the Starfleet Deep Space Nine computer responded with a decided, "It is 0400 hours." Her brow crinkled in surprise as she slid on a robe, hurrying toward the door to undo the locking mechanism. The buzz of someone attempting to gain access was strengthening, along with a light pounding that began as she stepped closer. Just as Amee's hand reached out to touch the unlock button, she hesitated.
The strong, rugged features of a man she longed to forget loomed large in her mind, and she began backing away from the door. The pounding was growing louder. It couldn't possibly be him, her mind kept telling her. He's either dead or locked away in a Kardassian prison cell somewhere. Snatching for her comm badge, Amee hissed softly, "Ensign Jorgeson to security. Come in Security Chief Odo." His reply was prompt, "Odo here. What's the trouble, Ensign?" "Odo, someone is trying to gain entrance to my living quarters, and I'm afraid it's probably the man you threw off DS9 about nine months ago. The pounding is increasing in volume, and if you remember his bulk, he could probably come right through the wall if he was of a mind."
She could hear the immediate scramble for action as Odo called security to accompany him. After what seemed eons, he snapped into the comm, "We're on our way, Ensign. Whatever you do, don't open that door." "Don't worry, Constable, I don't intend to." Determined to just sit it out, Amee attempted to block the sounds from her mind, but a raging voice had joined the cacophony, and it was all she could do to keep from trembling. Repeating to herself over and over, "I am a Starfleet Officer," she attempted to keep at least a momentary calm. How in the world did he manage to get back on this station undetected?
As abruptly as the vicious knocking had begun, it stopped. Utter silence pervaded the room, and icy chills swept up Amee's spine. Tiptoeing to the door, she leaned her head against the frame, just as her comm badge went off, causing her breath to spill from her lips in a loud whoosh of fear. Odo's voice rang through the room, "Ensign Jorgeson, there is nobody outside of your room, now will you open the door." He sounded utterly exasperated, and she winced when he stepped through the sliding doors, followed by three security guards. Irritation was written in every nuance of his face as he grandly gestured for her to be seated on her sleeping couch. "Now, would you mind explaining why you requested my presence, and I find no sign of the man when I arrive? I'm sure you must have a reasonable explanation."
"Constable, I've never lied to you before and I certainly don't intend to start now. He was here, since I don't believe a ghost was maniacally attempting to enter my room. I haven't made any enemies apart from Jarlath, and certainly no one other than he would try so hard to molest me." "Hmm," was Odo's only response, but he at least looked partially convinced of her appeal. "We'll set up an alert for him, but Ensign, you know as well as I do that there is almost no possible way for him to sneak about DS9. It's not probable, not to mention illogical." Amee contained an eye roll as she weakly teased, "And here I thought Vulcans were the only ones to speak of logic. I never knew Changlings also possessed the ability."
He grunted in mock irritation, and than said firmly, "If you see him, and I mean physically this time, than report to me at once. Jarlath is the last person we want roaming around this station, unguarded." She nodded quietly, and once they were gone, stood and reset the locking mechanism. She was afraid. It was a strange sensation for her. Jarlath was the only one who had ever caused that emotion. Normally it was a situation that frightened her, whether the prospect of being in battle, or a test that she hadn't studied for, but this was entirely different. She could still feel the cruel touch of his hands upon her forearms, the hardness of his teeth as they caressed across her lips and neck. Shuddering, Amee huddled on her bed, pulling the blanket up close around her slender frame. Not this time, Jarleth. This time, my future belongs to me, and I'll die before I'll let you steal it from me again.
She was still unaware of how long she had remained under his spell all those months before. It had been weeks from what Dr. Bashir had said, and during that time Ezri had been horribly concerned for her well-being. She had allowed herself to be blinded by a handsome face, so gorgeous it was almost painful, but his looks had belied the person within. Inside, Jarleth was cruel, inhumane, and unfeeling. He had taken her soul for that period of time, and only now had she finally managed to recover from the sense of loss and heartache. The very memory of his touch was loathsome to her now, and the thought that he was on this station petrified her. She despised feeling weak and helpless against this enemy, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Or was there? It was such an insignificant thought, but it pulled at her mind, nudging her in the direction of being self-confident once again. The decision was plain and simple, and she immediately snatched up her uniform, clothed in less than a minute. A swift brush with a comb through her tangled black locks satisfied her, and after a brief hesitation before the door, Amee squared her shoulders and exited her quarters. The hallway was bright, with the lights shining constantly both day and night. Creeping along the corridor, Amee could not disperse the sense that she was being watched, guarded closely, and as her head swivelled to gaze behind her, she caught a brief glimpse of a shadow vanishing around a corner. Her breathing quickened, and as soon as she turned down another hallway, Amee burst into a full run. She had never before been so grateful for her morning exercises with Ezri Dax all these months.
Slamming into the wall of a lift platform, Amee gasped out, "The Promenade!" and the computer instantly obeyed. Within seconds it delivered her to the lower deck of the Promenade, and she stepped out into the nearly abandoned section of DS9. Apart from Quark's, which was always filled to capacity, she was relieved to note that not many passers by lurked in the halls and shops. She ducked through the doorway into Sickbay, and spotted Dr. Julian Bashir hard at work, his eyes weary from a long night of study and contemplation and his hands rubbing across the back of his neck. "Dr. Bashir?" At the sound of her voice, he nearly leaped three feet off his chair, his eyes wide as he spun around. Upon seeing her approach, he lowered his head into his hands, groaned softly, than asked, "What in the world do you think you're doing, Amee? You nearly scare me to death, and frankly I don't have that many years to spare."
"I apologize, Dr. Bashir, but I don't know what to do." A yawn escaped his lips, and he petulantly motioned for her to sit down against one of the inactive consoles. "What are you talking about? It's much too late for this kind of chitchat," he murmured as he turned back to his piles of data pads. Almost without thinking, she grabbed his arm and whirled him around to face her, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Jarleth is back, Julian!" It was all she needed to say. His eyes widened in first wonder and than horror, as the gravity of her words sank into his subconscious. "That can't be. He's been gone for nine months now. Why in heaven's name would he return to the place where his face is ingrained into every mind on the station?" "I don't know, Julian, but I do know that he's here. He tried to breach my locking mechanism tonight, and I don't know what to do. I certainly can't stay in my apartment anymore, but I don't have anywhere else to go. Do you think I could bunk in Sickbay for awhile?"
Julian exhaled a long breath, attempting to revive his sleep deprived nerves. "Aeh, Sickbay is out of the question, I'm afraid, but. . ." He hesitated, albeit briefly. The very look in his eyes gave her reason to worry. She had a feeling that she was not going to appreciate his next suggestion. "Perhaps. . . . Now don't say no immediately. We had a case a few years back when Quark's nephew, Nog, was wounded in battle and lost part of his leg. Anyway, he retreated from this reality, and resorted to living in a holosuite program for some odd months." Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she gaped at him, "You want me to live in a holosuite? Julian, that's insane, what are you thinking?" He held up placating hands, gently enclosing one of hers between his palms as he soothingly responded, "Now, don't jump to conclusions. Vic Fontaine is no ordinary hologram. He's more real than many people I know, and he'd take excellent care of you. And what's more important is that Jarleth would never think of searching a holosuite for you. It would be the last thing he'd expect."
Her lids fluttered shut in exasperation, and after inhaling a few deep breaths and forcing herself to relax, she shook her head. He watched her quietly, peering up past the sheen of midnight hair which hung around her temples, and simply waited. "Very well, Julian, but only because you recommend it. I suppose it's a good thing that I'm on leave for another month." The tiniest hint of a smile brushed across his lips, but he refrained from responding. "Come on, I'll get you set up, and send for some appropriate clothes. If there's one thing Vic is particular about, it's that everyone dresses for the appropriate time period." They strode down the Promenade together, and she looked at him in surprise, "How would he possibly know what would or wouldn't be period appropriate? He's a hologram."
Julian chuckled, his eyes sparkling in merriment, and he took great delight in replying, "Vic is far more than just a hologram, Amee. He knows things. Things that he couldn't possibly know unless he was programed with the knowledge beforehand, which we know he wasn't. He knows he's a hologram, and he takes his circumstances in stride. He knows that we live on a space station orbiting the planet Bajor. He knows our jobs; mine for example as a doctor. He completely understands what we do, and he adapts to our needs and situations. If I ever need emotional help, he's the one I go to. There's far more to him than live circuitry and data. He's almost alive. Even Captain Sisko went into Vic's now and than for a chat."
"That's incredible, Julian. How could he know and understand what we do?" "I can't explain it, but he does, and like everybody else on this station, I expect you'll adore him. Vic's more like an old friend rather than light particles comprised into an image. In a pinch, I'd trust him with my life, and so I've no concerns about trusting him with you."
They entered Quark's, and Julian flagged down the Ferangi proprietor from his rushing between tables. "Quark, I trust Vic's program is fully functional." Balancing six glasses of various concoctions between his hands, Quark snapped, "Of course, it's functioning, Doctor. What else would you expect, since I made that ridiculous promise to Nog years ago. That hologram has been a profit drain ever since. Sometimes, my emotional involvement with my family gets in the way of earning a dishonest living."
With effort, Julian concealed a cheeky grin, "Well than, we'll just head on up and pay him a visit." He gently pushed Amee toward the winding staircase to the upper level, and than turned back, leaning in close to the irritated bartender, "Oh, and Quark, she'll probably be staying with Vic for quite a while. If the information leaks out, even to Morn, I'll know precisely who is responsible and Constable Odo will finally have his chance of locking you away until your ears wrinkle with age." Assuming an expression of horrified humility, Quark said, "Doctor, you hurt me when you say such things. That attractive young girl will not have her privacy disturbed. You have my word as a businessman."
"Hmm, just see that she isn't."
Amee could not contain a soft peel of laughter as they trotted down the upper hallway, private holosuites jutting out on either side. "Oh Julian, you and Quark do exchange barbs wholeheartedly." Julian smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting in honest glee. "I must admit, Quark is fun to torment, though we never take it too far. He and Odo are the ones who really clash on a regular basis. They can't stand each other and yet when anyone threatens either of them, the other is the first to jump to their defense. Rather pathetic, honestly. Good enemies, bad friends."
Halting before holosuite eight, Julian glanced at Amee and could not deny her nervous expression. Gently turning her to face him, he chucked her under the chin. Being 15 years his junior, he behaved as an older brother toward her, and that protectiveness was being brought out full force this evening. "Don't worry, Amee. You'll be fine. I promise." Inhaling an unsteady breath, she nodded, and than whispered, "I trust you, Julian."
With a flick of his finger, Julian pressed a button, the door whooshed open, and Amee stepped through into a different world.