Disclaimers: see chapter 1.
Chapter 2
The nurse at the clinic reception wrinkled her nose and asked a single worded question:
"Starla?" looking sternly at Chakotay. "You know it's just a scam," she admonished him. "Coats if you please," holding out her hand. The three of them took off and handed over their jackets to the stern looking Trill nurse. "You can collect them when you're finished. Chakotay you know the way to Dr. Hoon's office," her tone pointed. He nodded acknowledgement and led the way.
"Good of you to come," the Gorn greeted them.
"What is this about?" B'Elanna asked, before Chakotay could open his mouth.
"Always in first?" his eyes a quiet green. "Your Doctor mentioned in his last communiqué that you were due a monthly post-natal and as you're here and not there, you can have it done with me," he informed them.
"The Doctor knows we're here?"
"No he does not," Hoon hissed. "His last communiqué was a week ago. Now please follow me," he said looking at the female. "You two stay here," he ordered, gently taking Torres by the arm and leading her out of the room. Chakotay and Paris looked at each other, stunned and then they sat down.
Tom noticed that Miral hadn't stirred from her position in the carrier against his big friend's chest, and he again felt the stirrings of jealousy, so turned to look out the large window. A few minutes later a male entered the room, followed by a young Trill female, both wore Starfleet uniforms.
"Hello, Julian," Chakotay said softly and smiled. He introduced the pair to Tom Paris.
"So you're the famous pilot," Ezri Dax commented, sitting next to the fair-haired male, whilst they watched Dr. Bashir scan the sleeping child. "I don't bite, you know!"
"Sorry; Ezri Dax?" he questioned hoping he'd got the name right, her smile answered him. "Not famous or at least I don't think so."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd broken the warp ten barrier."
"I, er we did. The consequences proved that it was still a barrier."
"I read the report. Interesting experience for you," she noted still watching the human doctor. "Something wrong, Julian?"
"I'm not sure," he responded frowning. "I'd like to do a little experiment, with her father's permission," he said looking over at Tom Paris who nodded assent. He then gently turned Miral's head so her other ear was pressed against Chakotay. After a few minutes the child stirred fitfully and turned her head back again and settled without waking.
"Interesting," he noted.
"You think something is wrong with her hearing?" Chakotay asked softly.
"I'm not sure at the moment," he said and again turned Miral's head, but this time gently put some wadding in her right ear. Although the child turned her head back, as before this time she became restless and made a noise which woke her. "No I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with her ability to hear, just that she seems not to hear in one ear at the moment," he explained, taking the wadding out of her ear; thus she settled again against Chakotay's chest. "Your heartbeat obviously attracts her," Julian noted with a smile, making the male blush. "It may be an infection in her ear, though nothing shows up on the medical scans," running the scanner over her again.
"Could it be some sort of blockage in her ear?" asked Tom Paris, worriedly.
"No. That would show up also," puzzled.
"When humans used to get the common cold, there could often be a build up of fluid in the middle ear, causing temporary deafness. Could this be a similar problem?" recalling some of the medical training the EMH had insisted that he take whilst working as the Doctor's medic.
"It might," programming the scanner to check for fluids. "Bingo!" when the tricorder bleeped at him. "Fluid in the middle ear; because she's so young the bones in her ears are even smaller than in an adult, so even a small amount of fluid would stop the bones working properly; which is what has happened here. Miral is picking up the vibrations of your breathing and heartbeat through the right ear that not as affected as the left."
"How did the fluid problem come about?" Ezri asked, beating both males to the question.
"A combination of things, probably; Teething, change in temperature, exposure to a cold virus even. Oh they're still about, just that we have more effective medications to deal with them. But in one of this age, it can still cause some serious problems."
"Can you treat her?" Tom asked, just as Hoon and Torres returned.
"Treat whom and what?" B'Elanna asked concerned.
"Your daughter has an infection in her ears and yes I can treat the problem. With your permission, of course?" looking directly at the half-Klingon female; Torres nodded assent. "Question, Mr. Paris. What made you think of that?" Bashir asked, having taken Miral out of the harness carrier.
"The EMH had me go through all the pathogens of Earth, both current and historical ones, as some of the diseases we were encountering in the Delta Quadrant had similar effects in humans, especially the common cold," Paris explained.
"Interesting," he commented. "Hmm! I think this little person needs her diapers changing," grimacing some what. Paris handed over the bag that had all the necessary items the Doctor would need. "Thanks; Right little lady let's get you sorted out," he said and left with Hoon following.
Silence enveloped the four left behind; Ezri watched them a moment, especially the tattooed male, he seemed to know what was coming and got in first.
"Don't, Ezri Dax. Not on an empty stomach if you please."
"You've not had lunch?" she asked surprised.
"Dr. Hoon's call to come here came just as we were about to find somewhere."
"In that case I know just the place. Don't worry about your daughter, she's in safe hands. We'll leave a message at reception as to where to find us," she assured them and indicated they leave.
The riverside restaurant situated near the banks of the cities main river was very pleasant, especially as mature weeping willow trees grew along the bank and were incorporated into the outside seating area. A gentle breeze whispered through the trailing branches keeping the patrons cool and shaded as they enjoyed the eatery's tasty fare. The three off-worlders and the one Trill sat under the curtained shade of the oldest of the willows, not quite separated from the other patrons, yet screened from direct contact with those around them. Ezri waited until they'd had their first course before she broached the subject matter that concerned her – Chakotay's experiences.
"Willing to talk?" she softly asked him, as he sat back in his chair feeling reasonably content.
"I'm not sure I can, Ezri," he sighed. "A lot of what happened I just don't remember," he told her truthfully. Tom and B'Elanna quietly listened as they'd been asked to by Ezri Dax earlier - whilst Chakotay had been away from the table placing their order.
"That might be because of the drugs that Teero used to block your memory centres," she told him still keeping her voice and tone low key.
"Possibly, Ezri," he admitted softly, closing his eyes. "Images come and go. I'm not sure what is real and what wasn't," he added carefully.
"It'll come. I'll be here should you want to talk about it anytime," she said, laying her hand on his arm in a reassuring manner.
"Have they managed to capture the Bajorian?" Tom asked, keeping his voice calm and gentle.
"Starfleet security have caught the two bully boys he used, but as to the man himself – not yet," Ezri informed them sadly.
"Bully boys?" Paris asked, holding his wife's hands and squeezing them when he knew she wanted to retort angrily.
"Both are known criminals in the illegal drug trade. One of them was a professional wrestler at one time. He was evicted from the sport, because he couldn't curb his excessive use of force. They lost count of the number of opponents he put in to Starfleet Medical with permanent muscle damage or the morgue. It explains how your shoulder became broken the way it was. Only a man could have caused that sort of injury and one with the know-how of a back arm lock," Dax informed them, watching as Chakotay rolled his left shoulder remembering the pain. "Still hurt?" she asked.
"Not really. Just a dull ache which I think is more memory rather anything else," he admitted.
"Don't be so sure," said a new voice, entering their shady haven.
"Julian?" he quizzed, as the male handed over his squirming bundle to her parents, along with the diaper bag.
"Your shoulder muscles took quite a battering, being twisted out of all proportion. It may very well take some months yet before that ache will ease, let alone go away," he said finding himself a spare chair and joining them at their table. Ezri gave him the covered bowl in which was some hot soup. "Thanks," he smiled and set to eating it.
"My pelvis?"
"That injury was very specific. It was designed to stop you from running anywhere," he said, trying not to speak with his mouth full. "This is really good," using the bread roll to mop up the last dregs of the soup making them smile.
"How?" Tom inquired, whilst Torres cuddled her daughter on her lap.
"Male pelvic bones are different from the female in that they are narrower and more upright; where-as the female is broader and flatter, in order to carry the growing child," Bashir said, sitting back in his chair having finished his soup. "Therefore whoever damaged your pelvic bone knew what they were doing so as not to snap your spinal cord. I can think of only possibly two people who would know how to create the three fractures that crossed your pelvis."
"Three?" queried Tom Paris frowning.
"Three," Julian confirmed. "The first was a fine line right across the pelvic bone running from the front of the left hip joint to the back of the right, missing the base of the spine. Then at right angles to that were two deeper fractures; one over the right hip from front to back and the other over the left hip joint from back to front."
"So when I slipped on the wet sidewalk.....?"
"You caused one of the deeper shorter fractures to become a complete break and sent pain rippling along the other fractures. It was your right hip that broke."
"Painful," noted Paris, remembering his lessons with the EMH about the male skeletal structure.
"It's why I used a wheelchair for a while, until the bone could be mended."
"Surely a bone regenerator could have sorted that," said Torres, speaking for the first time, her face reflecting her worried concern and her anger that anyone would hurt her big friend in such a manner.
"That is true, B'Elanna. But the drugs in his system prevented him form healing even naturally," Ezri said, beating Bashir to it.
"What drug in particular are we talking about here?" Tom asked his tone telling them he needed a truthful answer.
"You don't want to know," was Chakotay's response.
"Doctor Bashir!" Paris said his voice commanding.
"All I will say is that it's a banned substance within the United Federation of Planets, where the victim is punished along with the perpetrator."
"Why?" questioned B'Elanna, looking to the doctor but it was her husband who answered.
"Because when the drug is first used the victim is susceptible to suggestive triggers. They could be words, phrases or places, people or symbols, almost anything. Even if the drug is cleared from the persons system, one can never be sure about the triggers," he explained. "And you Chakotay? Are the triggers still there?" he asked softly.
"No. The symbionts helped to pull them from my mind."
"They weren't all that hard to find, Chakotay," said Dax pointedly.
"Are you suggesting my mind is simple?" he teased, yet looked affronted and hurt.
"No, I'm not. They were very close to the surface."
"Other victims are not so lucky. Telepaths have tried to help but the triggers are buried so deep either in the subconscious or tied up with personal events, that they can't be sure of what is a trigger and what isn't. Teero just wanted to make sure you did as you were told," Julian said seriously. The silence that followed felt loaded as if more questions wanted to be asked, but the asker wasn't sure if now was the right time to ask them. B'Elanna Torres decided to hold her tongue for now, what she had been told was more than enough for her to get her head around about how her friend had been hurt and was still hurting she realised, looking at his shadowed eyes.
"The offer is still open should you change your mind," Ezri Dax told him.
"I know," smiling uncertainly at her. He was grateful that neither of his friends asked anymore questions.
Miral chose that moment to wriggle free of her mother's arms and make an unsteady beeline for the river; all the males were soon on their feet and hurtling after her. B'Elanna and Ezri watched grinning as three grown males chased the little girl. Chakotay soon had to stop and rejoin them rubbing at a stitch in his side, whilst the girl's father and doctor continued to run after the toddler who ran them in ragged circles a delighted grin on her little face. Soon the two females were rubbing their sides from laughing too much at the strange spectacle. Chakotay sighed and called the giggling little girl's name in a commanding manner. She stopped and looked at him.
"Come here," he ordered. Bashir and Paris watched breathlessly as Miral quietly obeyed the command and stood looking up at the seated tattooed male. She then held out her arms to him, silently asking to be lifted up. At first he ignored her silent plea a gruff expression of disapproval on his handsome face. Again she put out her arms.
"Up, Tay," she said, startling her parents. A playful smile - that Torres recognised - graced his features and he bent forward on his chair and lifted her up onto his lap, where she cuddled up against him.
"How do you do it, Chakotay?" Tom asked breathlessly, rejoining his wife at the table, Bashir panting as well sat next to Ezri.
"Oh, that dimpled smile. Who could resist that!" teased B'Elanna Torres making everyone at the table smile, including Chakotay who blushed; holding the child close to him.
"Anyone for desserts?" he asked hopefully, deflecting their attention from him. They all choose a dessert and some coffee or tea, as well. This time it was Julian Bashir who went and placed their order, leaving Chakotay holding the baby, who gurgled at him her smile melting his heart and easing his fears.
Tom Paris awoke and stretched in the bed, smiling at his sleeping wife beside him. As he lay there he wondered what was different about that day, feeling the warmth of the sun shining through the closed curtains. He listened, nothing. Puzzled by the lack of noises coming from the house, he got out of bed and checked Miral's cot – empty. He knew though that she'd been taking to trotting into Chakotay's room and joining the man, as he'd always had his door slightly ajar. So Paris went to check, but the room was empty. 'Where could they be?' he silently asked himself, going down the stairs. He checked every room except the Professors study which was locked anyway; the place was empty; thus he ran back up the stairs and shook B'Elanna fully awake.
"What is it?" she asked taking in his anxious expression.
"Chakotay and Miral, they're gone."
"What do you mean they're gone?" sitting up in the bed.
"In that they are not here in the house," he told her, getting himself dressed.
"Chakotay wouldn't go anywhere without leaving some sort of message or note, as to where he might be heading," she said scrambling out of bed, to dress.
"I'll check downstairs again and see if I can find any message," his tone telling her he wasn't hopeful.
"You're jealous of him; aren't you?" Torres said, sitting beside him as he pulled on his boots.
"Whatever gave you that idea," he snapped.
"Oh, Tom! The last thing Chakotay would do is come between us. Haven't you noticed the way he always makes sure that I'm between you two?" Tom Paris said nothing. "Or is it Miral?" the look he shot in her direction answered her question aptly. She kissed his nose and smiled. "Go and do your hunting," she told him a soft smile playing across her face. Puzzled he left her to dress and went to search the house again, this time for a message, even checking the com-unit in case their lost friend had tried to contact them that way, but there was nothing. By the time B'Elanna joined him, he was really ready to do the man some serious injury.
"Nothing!" he growled, then stared at her and the white piece of paper she held. "Where?"
"In Miral's diaper bag. It's the one thing that isn't missing," she said, the bag's strap hanging over her shoulder. Tom took the folded paper from her and read the contents:
'Meet me at Lugi's for breakfast. Don't forget the house key; Chakotay.'
"He'd better have a good explanation," he grumbled, putting on the jacket Torres handed to him and put the note into his pocket. They picked up the key that hung near the main front door and lock it on their way out.
Lugi's they discovered was not far from the Caves of Mak'ala. On seeing Dr. Julian Bashir leave the Caverns – although he did not see them – the couple decided to enter the area themselves. One of the Guardian's met them and asked B'Elanna Torres to join him to attend to the needs of their daughter.
"It is hoped you brought a change of clothes for the little girl."
"Why?" Tom asked suspiciously.
"Tom," she said quietly, stalling his retort. "Yes, I have. Please lead the way," she invited the robed male Trill. He nodded and led her into the cavern complex, leaving Tom alone.
Feeling like a little lost child he stood uncertain of where to go, but then seeing the blue flashes he decided to venture towards them and found himself looking down on one of the main symbiont pools. Sitting near the edge of the water was Ezri Dax in a meditative posture, eyes closed body relaxed. Suddenly a male body surged up and broke the surface of the pool and took a deep breathe; shaking the water from his eyes and hair, he swam strongly to the poolside where Ezri sat. As Paris watched the tattooed male touched the young Trill, his fingers gentle against the pouch that housed the female's symbiont – Dax. She opened her eyes and smiled at him, whereupon a Guardian came over with a towel and helped the struggling male to get out of the pool. Without much thought Paris went over to give the male a helping hand also as he was finding it difficult to use his left arm to lever himself out of the water.
"Thanks, Tom," he breathed gratefully, sitting at the pool edge, pulling the large towel around him and wrapping it carefully over his left shoulder. Paris knelt behind him and gently massaged the aching shoulder muscles, sensing Chakotay relax back into his working hands. Ezri watched quietly as the human male worked assessing his attitude toward the Amerindian, which she was sure was not quite what it appeared.
"You're annoyed with Chakotay, aren't you?" she said softly alerting both males to her presence.
"Not really," he said quickly, still kneading the other's shoulder.
"I'm inclined to agree with Ezri," Chakotay said softly, stilling Tom's busy hands by turning to look at the younger male, over his left shoulder. "Not surprising and I apologise for my unannounced departure this morning. I'll explain over breakfast," he said getting to his feet and rewrapping the towel around his naked torso. He smiled quietly at Tom Paris and left to get dressed in another part of the cavern complex. Dazed Paris stood and helped Ezri Dax up also.
"What is going on?" he asked looking at the Trill female.
"If Chakotay said he will explain then he will," she said and guided him to the entrance way, where they found B'Elanna and Miral waiting.
"Dada!" she said, holding out her arms to him, her smile inviting. Sighing resigned he suddenly smiled and took her from her mother's embrace. Miral put her arms around his neck. "Love Dada," she said, causing tears to well in his eyes. Torres smiled lovingly at him and squeezed his free hand. They wandered out into the morning sunshine to await their big hearted friend.
Within the cavern shadows Chakotay watched the loving family scene and was proud to call these people his friends; friends to whom he owed an explanation. He just hoped it would aide his healing, as everyone kept telling him, feeling Ezri Dax squeeze his hand in gentle reassurance.
//You need to tell them, Shikasha// a soft voice said in his mind. //We can only help if you willing to take the first step// the voice said quietly.
"The first step is admitting you need help," Ezri added to the mental voice. "And you've taken that first step, Chakotay," she kissed his cheek and left his side to rejoin Julian Bashir at the hospital labs. On passing the little family she exchanged a pleasant greeting, but declined their offer to join them for breakfast, and went on her way.
//Take that step// urged the soft voices of the symbionts.
He breathed deeply and stepped out into the sunshine and greeted the family of three, giving the half-Klingon female a brotherly hug, practically lifting her off the ground. The fair-haired male laughed and the girl-child giggled happily. The tattooed male led them to Lugi's eatery near-by and breakfast of waffles, banana pancakes with maple syrup and cream, plus coffee or tea to wash it down. Then he started to take the next step in his healing, by talking about his experiences first with the symbionts who'd offered their help to him; to sort out what had really had happened and what had not, before his coming to Mak'ala on Trillus Prime; And how Teero fitted into the whole picture and how he felt about it. It was going to be a long and possibly bumpy road yet it was one he was now willing to take in order to find himself and peace of mind. The fact that Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres and little Miral were willing to travel that long road to recovery with him was a heart warming blessing; one he would thank the Spirits for everyday.