Chapter Fifteen

Two hours later, Gael found herself standing outside of Uhura's quarters. She did not know what to expect, so she carried her blue Starfleet pyjamas and a small bag of toiletries with her. She could faintly hear music coming from the room. Taking a deep breath, Gael knocked on tje door. It slid open with a hiss, revealing a young woman about Nyota's age who had green skin and curly red hair.

Gael gulped slightly. She was still getting used to there being aliens on board. The green-skin woman grinned widely at her.

"Yay!" she cheered. "You're here! I've been so excited to meet you, Gael!" she gushed. "You are Gael, right?"

"Um, aye..."

"I'm Gaila," She pulled Gael into an enthusiastic hug. "Come in, come in!"

Slightly overwhelmed by Gaila's exuberance, Gael let herself be pulled into the room.

"Hi Gael. Glad you could make it." Dr. Marcus smiled from her place on the bed.

"Hi, Dr. Marcus," the girl answered shyly.

"Isn't this fantastic!" Gaila giggle happily. "Another refugee of the overpowering manliness permeating this ship, another sister in our crusade of domination!"

Gael looked at Gaila in alarm. "Now wait jus' a minute; I want nae part o'-"

"GAILA!" Nyota's voice rang from behind the closed door of the bathroom. "Stop scaring her! We do actually want her to hang out with us in the future! Now, help me turn the bed into a couch for us."

"But Ny!" the Orion whined. "This is ship domination we're talking about!"

Gael glanced worriedly at Marcus. "It's okay; Gaila is just joking," the doctor explained. "Hypothetical plans for taking over the ship is a favorite pastime of hers. Sometimes, we 'make plans' on girls' nights. We'd never dream of actually carrying any of them out, of course."

"Ah," Gael nodded, her eyes clouding in memory. "...I think...my father used tae tease my mom about takin' over the world...with us kids as her minions."

Dr. Marcus chuckled and patted the space beside her, inviting the teen to join her. "How are doing, sweetheart?" she asked. "It's only been a few days since you were released from Sickbay."

"I'm okay, Dr. Marcus, thank ye," Gael answered. "I got tae help Leona-I mean-Dr. McCoy today in Sickbay."

"It's just, Carol," she said. "and that's good to hear. Keeping busy it's important in cases like ours."

"Cases like ours?"

"She's talking about the Khan incident," Gaila said.

"Khan? As in th' Khan who was sent away in th' Botany Bay?"

Nyota came out of the bathroom. "He was found and taken out of stasis, which turned to be a big mistake."

"Wha' happened?"

"He destroyed and crashed my father's ship, the Vengeance," Carol said softly. "He murdered my father with his bare hands."

Gael's hand flew up cover her mouth as she looked to Carol in horror.

"It's okay, Gael," Carol sighed. "I worked closely with my father in Starfleet, but I wasn't terribly close to him..."

"But it still hurts?" Gael guessed. Carol nodded.

"Lovely bonding moment, ladies," Gaila suddenly said. "but on to the business at hand: girls' night! Break out the chick flicks and ice cream, Ny!" The Orion pointed dramatically at Nyota, then at Carol and Gael. "And no more sad stuff tonight, you two! Let the fun begin!"

Gael glance from the bubbly Gaila to Nyota to Carol. Leaning over she whispered to Carol. "Are ye sure she hasnae...um...drunk something, uh, strong?"

"Actually, with Gaila, that's very possible," Carol chuckled.

Gael slipped into the bathroom, changed into her pajamas, then went over and settled between Carol and Nyota on the "couch".

Four hours, two movies, and lots of ice cream and giggling later, Gael was sound asleep, but the sanctity of her dreams were invaded by the memory of the worst day of her life.

"We jus' want yer girl, there."

"Ye cannae have mae daughter."

"Is tha' so?"

"Run, Gael!"

Fire, screams, crying...

Gael bolted upright from her place between Nyota and Carol. She quickly glanced around the dark room. No one seemed to stir. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, Gael pulled her knees up to her chin, and rest her forehead on them, taking several deep breaths to calm herself. The familiar sting of tears pricked her eyes as she fought the grief welling up inside.

"Gael, honey, you okay?" A soft, sleepy voice whispered from her right. A gentle hand touched her shoulder. Gael jumped slightly and looked over to find Carol sitting up having at her in concern. So much for not waking anyone.

Gael hesitated, then shook her head.

"Nightmare?" Carol asked, tucking a lock of Gael's hair behind the girl's ear.

Gael nodded and sniffed. Every other time she had experienced a nightmare, Leonard head been there to comfort her. All she wanted at that moment was to be engulfed in his strong but gentle arms and listen to him whisper comforting things in his Southern accent.

As if sensing her thoughts, Carol wordlessly slipped her arm around the girl's shoulders, gently pulling her close. Gael cried quietly into Carol's shoulder as the woman rubbed comforting circles on her arm with her thumb.

"It's okay to grieve, Gael," Carol whispered. "It's okay; let it out."

Drowsily, Nyota and Gaila stirred. They saw Gael crying on the science officer's shoulder and looked at Carol in concern.

Nightmare, Carol mouthed. Nyota and Gaila nodded solemnly. They each offered the teen words of comfort before settling back down to sleep.

"Come on, honey, you need some sleep." Carol gently pulled Gael back down, letting her curl up against her side with her head on Carol's shoulder. Carol combed her fingers through Gael's silky hair, softly humming. Then, she heard Gael whisper, so softly that Carol almost thought she imagined it.

"Thank ye, Carol.

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