Finding Her Place Chapter 11: Just to See Her Smile, a StarTrek: Deep Space Nine + Andromeda Crossover fanfic

Just to See Her Smile

Reginald was at the end of his rope. It had been two months and his latest rose was still showing her thorns. Amara did not sleep; she did not eat. She barely spoke. And she certainly did not glow. There was real, tangible hatred in her. The most powerful Khaleesi to ever exist, and she was dying by inches to her animosity. He'd tried everything he could think of. Touring her through the palace, introducing her to the babies, having his other Roses sing for her… Nothing brought a smile to her face. She was consumed by her rage.

"Why can't you just be happy here like the rest of us?" LillyBeth said with tears in her voice. "It's hard, I know that it's hard to accept the deaths and devastation, but this is a great life we lead here. We're protected, we're-"

"Your mate was murdered to bring you here. How can you find happiness here?" The delicate being broke down sobbing at that. But it wasn't that the girl had no heart. She held her sister gently until her tears quieted.

"I would give a-anything just to hold him in my arms just one more time."

"I know."

"Come with me to Theta 16. The whole planet is in the middle of a drought. The crops are dead and the people are starving. Perhaps using your powers again will counteract the poison in your system."

"Sure," Ama said with a shrug. The Khaleesi suddenly bounced with excitement. This was the first time the angry girl had agreed to anything. The Khaleesi wasted no time sharing the news with Reginald.

"You have pleased me, my Lady," he said charmingly. He smiled at her but she didn't smile back. They left immediately, the Alpha not wanting the girl to change her mind. When the trio arrived, surrounded by guards and security of course, it was not to a warm reception. Large eyes made so by starvation watched them warily as they made their way to the first fields. LilliBeth sang her songs and the fields came back to life. They left guards at the fields to distribute the food and headed to the next set of fields. After five such sets, the Khaleesi was exhausted.

"I'm so sorry, Reggie… I can't… I can't do it anymore…" She said piteously.

"It's alright, my pet," he said soothingly, rubbing her hair and holding her close as a father would. "You've done so well. An eighth of the land has been restored and the people here will get to eat today. More importantly, you managed to convince your sister to come with us. Perhaps she would be willing to help?"

"Me? I'm just here because-"

"You are a healer. The Sukuri Pride is dying. Can't you feel their suffering?"

"I can… But I…"

"Please help these people, Amara. I know that you can do it. You just have to let go of your hatred."

"Never," she said vehemently. Before she could say more, a little boy covered in dirt wandered up to the trio. A guard went to throw him back into the crowd, but he tugged on Ama's hand and she immediately knelt to his level. She seemed to forget about everything as she focused all her attention on the child. Reginald held up a hand to stop the guard.

"Where are your parents, little one?" she asked gently, caressing his cheek tenderly.

"Mama Martha said they went to Heaven," he said tiredly. "She said there was no food to eat and they went away. Are you going to bring the food back? Will Mama and Papa come back with the food?" Ama laid a hand on his head and closed her eyes

"Yes, baby. Your Mama and Papa will come back with the food. I can fix this," she said determinedly. The sound of men vocalizing and a light melody started up out of the blue. The Nietzschean Alpha watched in shock, feeling electricity in the air suddenly. What was she doing?

I'm waking up to ash and dust

I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust

I'm breathing in the chemicals

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus

This is it, the apocalypse

Whoa

As she sang her angry ballad, the electric feeling in the air built and built. Heavy storm clouds rolled in out of nowhere from horizon to horizon, pregnant with the rain that the planet had been denied for months now. People had stopped their frantic eating to look up at the clouds. Ama ignored them, focusing solely on her song.

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones

Enough to make my systems blow

Welcome to the new age, to the new age

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

The sky opened up, pouring down rain on the people. Instead of running from the deluge, people started screaming and shouting happily, dancing in the pouring warm rain. People were running and stomping in the puddles and laughing like children. The newest Khaleesi kept a hold of the child's hand as she continued singing, determined to spread this storm around the planet.

I raise my flags, don my clothes

It's a revolution, I suppose

We'll paint it red to fit right in

Whoa

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus

This is it, the apocalypse

Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones

Enough to make my systems blow

Welcome to the new age, to the new age

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

The handheld communicator at Reginald's side was squawking with alarm after alarm of fields around the world coming back to life under a worldwide rainstorm. Reginald couldn't believe it. The plan had been to bring back some of the fields and watch laughingly as the Sukuri tore themselves apart fighting over the restored crops. He'd never been so happy to see one of his schemes go awry. His latest acquisition was so powerful… and she wasn't even at full strength!

All systems go, the sun hasn't died

Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones

Enough to make my systems blow

Welcome to the new age, to the new age

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive

By the time the song ended the planet was fully restored. People were laughing and crying at the same time, hugging and hollering uproariously. No one was left out of the celebration as the rain continued to fall in torrents. The guards had a devil of a time keeping the rowdy crowd away from the two Khaleesi and the Alpha. Then the crowd parted in shock as a lot of the people that had died of the pestilence suddenly walked towards the Khaleesi. They were as fully restored as the planet, no indication that they'd been corpses a few days ago. Only people that had died a week ago were back - she wasn't all-powerful.

"Eli! Eli!" a female voice was calling frantically.

"Mama," the little boy squirmed to be let go.

"Is that your Mama calling you, baby?" Ama asked gently.

"Uh-huh!" the child said, still trying to get away. His parents broke through the crowd just then and Ama released the boy. It was a tearful reunion; the girls smiled gently as the little boy babbled and squeezed his parents as best he could. His antics reminded her of Kirayoshi, who'd been on Bajor and therefore safe from the bounty hunters. At least Keiko and Molly and Kirayoshi were safe. As for Miles…

The smile slipped from her face as the old, familiar hatred settled back into place after being briefly dislodged by the need of the people. She went to go back to the ship when the rain-soaked mother grabbed her arm.

"Thank you," the woman said. The Khaleesi held up a hand to stop the guard that was about to dislodge the woman and looked deep into her pretty hazel eyes.

"He has good instincts for an eventual Alpha."

The woman gasped and looked over her shoulder at the Drago-Katsov Alpha. "Oh no, he could never-"

"And I don't misspeak," the girl said forcefully, looking at the woman until she unhanded her. She then turned and headed back to the ship out of the healing rain. Reginald and LillyBeth followed on her heels, worried expressions on their faces. When the ship docked back home, the rest of the Khaleesi gathered to hear the tale and hug their father figure. Reginald accepted all of their love and attention graciously.

"Calm down, my lovely Roses! Next time we will all travel together to see what your sister can do," the Alpha said indulgently. He turned his head towards Amara, holding out a hand for her to join the others, but she only walked past the happy reunion towards their shared room. "Amara!"

"I'm soaked to the bone. I need a bath and a change of clothes or I'll end up with a cold," she ground out civilly. This stopped all the merrymaking in the hanger. She walked away from the group in the silence that followed her statement.

The month passed this way, Ama now a part of every 'good will' mission of the Drago-Katsov. She used her talents like a good little slave all around the empire, meeting people and always watching with eyes that knew too much, were too old. Reginald even tried to arrange for children to come up to her much like little Eli from so long ago, but she was only civil and polite to these obvious plants. She did her duty; there was no lasting joy in her. The other Khaleesi tried everything they could to befriend the girl for their Alpha's sake, but she did not hesitate to call them spies and refused to be talked out of her hatred and anger. Finally, in abject desperation, as he felt her lifeforce slipping away, the Nietzschean sent her to a garden at the edge of the palace and sent her husband to her.

"Tyr?"

"Yes, my lovely one," the Berserker said, opening his arms to her. She didn't hesitate to fill them, smiling and glowing weakly through her tears. For a long while, he was content to hold her and breathe her in. Amara was a drug he'd been jonesing for these last few months. Especially through the long days slaving away in the mines under the palace with the other Berserkers. All five of them were alive and well, living under the threat of their Khaleesi being killed if they didn't cooperate. She'd been poisoned by her own loathing for her new life circumstances, but other than that…

"What is this?" he asked her gently. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. "Amara. Ama. You have to let it go."

"Miles and Keiko were the only bit of security I had ever been afforded in my cruel, cold universe. They were my world, and now - thanks to me - Daddy's likely dead, and Mama is likely a widow. They probably blame me, and they should! Everyone was depending on me for healing and I let them all down. Mama probably hates me…" She took a shuddering breath and let it out. "I can't let it go. I'll never let it go."

"Amara…"

"You look worn down, husband," she said playfully, trying to lighten the mood. There was only so long the Alpha would allow them to be together before he took her man away from her again. And who knew for how long this time?

"The other five Berserkers and I do our best to keep each other in shape, but the mines are… Well, the work is back-breaking, Bliss. I hope that I'm still enough to entice my woman," he said playfully. The wear on his body showed. His clothes were patched and as for his appearance… His natural good looks were marred by whip marks and lack of hygiene. There was just no time for personal grooming or even basic care as slaves of the empire. With a heartfelt sigh, he tried to lighten the mood. He tried to pull away from her a little to flex for her, but she only held him tighter, like she never wanted to let him go. With another heavy sigh, he gathered her even closer and breathed her in again.

"Once upon a time there was a brave, courageous, utterly gorgeous little girl," he told her sweetly as she hummed. "This little girl did not grow up under ideal circumstances. She was pursued by evil men with nasty intentions towards her and those around her. But she persisted and never gave up hope and eventually, she changed her stars."

"The little girl was alone and desperately lonely for the majority of her life," Ama picked up the thread while safely nestled in his arms. "Until one day, a man offered her the one thing she'd ever wanted; a place to belong. And the girl was happy. She was so very happy…" she held back a sob, but Tyr heard it and held her even tighter if such a thing were possible. "E-eventually the man found love and the little girl thought that he would abandon her, but instead the man proved that he had enough love in his heart for both the little girl and his love. Out of that love came two beautiful children, each raised to give the little girl the coveted title 'sister'. The little girl found a love of her own in time. And then… And then…"

"And then the unspeakable happened," Tyr said as she cried against him. "Bliss, your mother could never hate you. She loved you to the moon and back as a true mother would. I know that Keiko thinks of you often and misses you like crazy. And the same goes for your father. Neither of them holds you responsible for what happened with the bounty hunters. Shh… It's alright, my love." He rocked her soothingly as she sobbed helplessly. This was his woman, the gentle soul that accepted blame that wasn't hers to accept. He sat down on one of the benches in the garden, pulling her into his lap and swaying with her as she vented her pain.

"We were so happy," she choked out miserably. He nodded against her hair, remembering feeling that same impotent rage when the Drago-Katsov attacked their Pride when he was a child. He'd run. A child Berserker and he'd run away from the fight. But thinking about things, if he hadn't run away, he wouldn't have been there to stop that rape attempt with Graham so long ago. He'd had a good amount of time alone, years in fact, to deal with his rage and loss. Ama hadn't. She needed a serious education on grief and he had no time to give it to her.

He looked over her sleeping form. Now that she wasn't trying to hide it, he could see the dark purple circles under her eyes from where she was staying awake to watch for rapists in the room. A few nights of sleep would be just as much of a miracle to his woman as releasing her hatred.

"Give her here, Anasazi." The Berserker looked up and into the eyes of his captor. Everything in him wanted to snap the arrogant man's neck, but now was not the time for it with his sleeping woman in his arms. Instead, he stood up and tried to hand the girl over. She all but climbed up his forearms to get away from the Alpha in her sleep, causing Alexander to frown. They tried again with the same result. "Come with me. And don't get any funny ideas."

"I wouldn't dream of it," the Berserker said coolly, eyeing the multiple guards around the room, all there for the singular purpose of escorting him back to his cell. He made his way to the Khaleesi chambers, memorizing the route easily. The living quarters were lavish, everything was so soft! No wonder his little Bliss hated it. Reginald led him to his woman's bedding and he set her down tenderly, looking at her for what was likely to be the last time.

"You're sad," Rebecca said innocently, brushing a tear away from the Berserker's face. Tyr looked the brunette over speculatively as four other women came out of the exquisite woodwork. They were like children, all curiosity and light. No wonder Bliss could find no joy among them. They all reminded him of Molly. She would never burden Molly with her troubles.

"Who's Molly?" Jessica asked, pushing at her auburn bangs. "And I'm not a child."

"To us, you are extremely childlike," the Nietzschean said gently. "And Molly was her little sister." He felt the five Khaleesi poking around his mind cautiously. He didn't try to stop them. They were all interested in his love for his wife.

"Wow… You two are intense together!" Isabella blushed, having stumbled upon some of his favorite sexual encounters with the Khaleesi. "My mate and I never… Is that what it's like to couple?" she asked quietly and Tyr felt pity for these pretty little ladies.

"I can only tell you my experience of bonding. It's much more intense and fulfilling for my wife. None of you had experienced sex before you were taken, had you?

"We were too young for that," Tracy shrugged. "We were all taken from around the empire when we were young and-"

"-and you never aged past that moment in your lives," Tyr said in amazement.

"Come on, Anasazi. Back to your cage," Alexander said angrily, not wanting his Roses disturbed. The Berserker left with one last touch to his woman's cheek. Alexander frowned at that and tried to copy the motion. Amara almost came awake trying to get away from him. He gave up and spent the rest of the next hour putting his Roses down for the night. He did notice that his Roses acted a little bit more mature after meeting with Anasazi. They weren't so free with their hugs and touches. Each tried to speak with Amara on a 'big girl' level that she ignored in favor of seeing them as the children that they were. Her light was still fading. The Berserker's visit hadn't quelled her rage, it had fed it. Well, he'd show him! Tyr Anasazi was never going to see his bride again. Nobody riled up his Roses and disobeyed his orders and got away with it!

So much for the Alpha's plan to save Amara! As if she would ever accept anything given from the snake's hand! She's using her powers like a good Khaleesi should, but she's deriving no joy from her captivity. I'm wondering if her hatred will actually kill her; there doesn't seem to be anything that can quench or satisfy her need for revenge. Not even spending time with Tyr stopped the hatred. Tune in next chapter to see what happens next, please. I love reviews! ^_^

Imagine Dragons - Radioactive