This is positively medieval. B'Elanna sat in the main room of her home, her arms folded and legs crossed, her heel tapping against the stone floor.
After explaining Ma'Leth's condition to her mother, B'Elanna had sat with her grandfather on the floor, stroking his hair and telling the unconscious man that everything would be fine. It felt like an eternity before the door to the house swung open. Dar'Rok entered with a doctor in tow. B'Elanna had expected a whole crew of medics, but it was just one woman - pale with light curly hair that was shot through with grey – who gave Ma'Leth a cursory examination before asking Dar'Rok to help her get Ma'Leth to his bed.
Miral had arrived twenty minutes later. Along with Dar'Rok, B'Elanna and her mother had waited in silence for the doctor to emerge. When she did, she asked Miral and Dar'Rok to join her in Ma'Leth's bedchamber. B'Elanna had tried to follow, but Miral shot her a look – one that told B'Elanna she should sit her ass back down.
That was ten minutes ago. Since then, B'Elanna had made out bits of the conversation – the words for heart and leak kept coming up - but a lot of it was using complicated medical language that surpassed her vocabulary. She'd also heard Ma'Leth's voice – sounding strong for a man who had just been unconscious - repeating the word 'no' several times.
B'Elanna took a deep breath as she rocked back and forth. This felt too much like when she'd sat in the waiting room at the hospital the night her grandmother died. Uncle Carl had called to say things were looking bad - if B'Elanna wanted to say goodbye, she needed to do it soon.
She'd only spent a couple minutes in the room with her grandmother. She'd looked nothing like the woman B'Elanna had grown up knowing – she was small and frail, tubes and machines keeping her alive.
"Abuela, it's me, B'Elanna," she whispered, taking Isela's cold, bony hand in her own.
Isela's head turned slightly at her voice. B'Elanna liked to think there was recognition in her eyes.
Alone in the room, B'Elanna didn't know what to say. Thanks for loving me when my father couldn't? Thanks for not abandoning me like he did?
Tears clouded B'Elanna's vision and the knot in her throat kept her from speaking. After a moment, she croaked, "Don't leave me, Abuela."
She felt the old woman squeeze her hand, and saw her start blinking rapidly. She didn't know what her grandmother was trying to communicate, but there seemed to be only one response to give. "I love you, too."
B'Elanna tried to push the memory from her mind as she sat alone in the main room of her grandfather's house, listening to the disembodied voices. Finally, there was a pause and the door opened. B'Elanna stood. Dar'Rok emerged, followed by the doctor. They both headed for the door – it was clear Dar'Rok wasn't staying. Miral came out a moment later. "You can see him now," her mother told her, before disappearing into her own bedroom.
Well, it can't be that bad if no one is staying with him. B'Elanna headed to her grandfather's room.
"PuqnI'be'." Ma'Leth gestured from the bed when B'Elanna slipped through the door. Crossing the room, she could see there was still blood in his grey hair, although his color was improved and his eyes were clear and focused.
"What happened?" she asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"I passed out and hit my head. I have a concussion. But the healer fixed it up, so that's fine now."
B'Elanna looked down at her hands, fiddling with her fingers. There had been so many warning signs up to now that Ma'Leth wasn't feeling well. Why had she let it get to the point where he'd hurt himself? Looking back up, she asked. "What caused you to pass out?"
Ma'Leth reached out, grabbing her hands. "I'm an old man, PuqnI'be'. My heart doesn't work as well as it used to."
"Okay, so what will they do to stop it from happening again?"
Ma'Leth took a breath. "PuqnI'be', I have a degenerative heart condition. There is no cure. I would have to go to the hospital for a procedure every couple months to keep it at bay."
B'Elanna tried to process what he was saying. "So, there is a treatment."
Ma'Leth took in a breath, sadness clouding his features. "I'm old. I don't want to spend the time I have left in a medical center."
Realization dawned on B'Elanna. He wasn't going to do anything about this. She shook her hand away from his and crossed her arms. "So, what? You're just going to keep fainting? How's that…" B'Elanna trailed off as she grasped what was happening. She rocketed to her feet. "You're just going to let yourself die!"
"B'Elanna…" Ma'Leth leaned forward, trying to reach for her.
But B'Elanna wanted none of it. "You would rather die than go to a medical center?!" She paced the room, trying to control the surge of adrenaline that begged her to fight or run.
"It's not that simple-"
B'Elanna cut him off. "It is that simple! Why the hell would you chose to die?!"
"Because my time has come!"
B'Elanna froze. Her grandfather had never snapped at her, and she didn't know how to respond. She watched as the man took a breath, leaning back against the furs that propped him up. "PuqnI'be', come here."
Tentative, B'Elanna approached the bed again and allowed her grandfather to pull her down next to him. He took her into his arms, holding her head against his broad chest. "Listen," he said, his voice rumbling in his chest. "They could keep me alive for another couple of years by dragging me to the medical center each month. Or I could take this like a warrior and see it to the end without the doctor's intervention." As Ma'Leth stroked her hair, B'Elanna could feel the tears welling in her eyes. "I've lived a very good life," he continued. "I've watched my children grow into honorable adults. I'm proud to be the grandfather of so many brilliant grandchildren, including you. I've had a good career - I've served my people well in the defense force."
Ma'Leth took a breath. "But I'm ready for Sto'Vo'Kor. My L'Naan has been gone ten years now, and not a day goes by that I don't wake up and reach for her. I'm ready to fight by her side in the eternal battle. And I don't want to burden Dar'Rok and Miral by clinging to this life. It's time."
B'Elanna couldn't stand it anymore. All this talk of Sto'Vo'Kor and SoSnI' - she couldn't believe that he thought the afterlife was real. This was the only life he had – and it wasn't worth the occasional trip to the hospital? Tears burning in her eyes, B'Elanna pushed away from her grandfather and hurried from his room. She crossed the hall, entered her own room, and slammed the door shut. Flinging herself on the bed, she grabbed Toby, clutching him as she sobbed.
=/\=