Breaking the News

[Capt Ayers 0]

Ethan returns to her quarters on automatic pilot. She steps into her original bedroom and sits on the floor with her back against the foot of the bed as she finally lets her tears fall. As she cries she thinks that the Universe has a terrible cruel streak.

 

After a few moments of tears she stiffens her resolve and stands, moving over to the computer console. She has the computer place a call to Earth, to the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Ayers. After a few minutes a dark haired middle aged woman appears on the screen. She is frown, apparently concerned.

 

Ethan asks "Kiari Ayers?"

 

The woman continues to frown slightly and says "Yes? You are?"

 

Ethan's jaw tightens slightly as she responds "I think you know who I am..I just want to know if you share your daughter's feelings on the matter."

 

Kiari arches an eyebrow "Yes I do know who you are, Ms. Hawke but as we've never been introduced before I was being polite."

 

Ethan's jaw tightens further when the other woman uses the same reference of "Ms" that Terra used. "You didn't answer my question...do you feel about things the same as your daughters?"

 

"Perhaps if you'd explain what you are referring to I could answer. And how do you know Terra? She's on holiday visiting some friends."

 

Ethan rolls her eyes "Right..she has "friends" on Aegis. I see. And I believe that you don't know what I'm talking about just as much as I believed you didn't know who I was."

 

Kiari blinks and asks in a surprised tone "On Aegis? She's there?"

 

"An El-Aurian surprised? Why do I not quite believe that."

 

Kiari blinks again before narrowing her eyes "She told me she was going to visit some friends on vacation. She did not tell me she was going to Aegis. May I ask why the hostility?"

 

"Okay, fine..you want to play dumb, I'll play along. yes, Terra came to Aegis..though she nearly didn't make it. She had the unfortunate luck of being on a passenger liner that was attacked by pirates. Being the XO of this station I commanded the rescue mission, and we managed to get everyone off, but Terra seems to believe that I have some ulterior motives in my interest in your son. I just want to know if you share her feelings."

 

"Ms. Hawke, I assure you that I am not "playing dumb."

 

"You know..you're marring that whole "El-Aurians are all knowing" thing."

 

"Do you think if we were all knowing that the Borg could have destroyed our homeworld and scattered us? Now..what is this about my son? And why is Terra there?"

 

Ethan ignores that question "Since you persist in using a rather inappropriate method of address, I have to guess that you agree with her sentiments."

 

"Rather inappropriate method of address? How should I refer to you?"

 

"I am a member of Starfleet, Doctor, as you are probably well aware, with the rank of Commander."

 

Kiari blinks "Yes I am aware, my apologies Commander Hawke."

 

"Never mind..you've pretty much answered my question." Ethan sighs slightly as she says that.

 

"Would you mind answering my question please, Commander?"

 

Ethan ignores the question again, saying "Since you probably exercise a great deal of control over your children, I will look into having the marriage annulled, and request a transfer. Then you can impose your will on Nick as you see fit. I guess there is nothing else to really say...good day, Doctor."

 

"Say what? Marriage? No, Commander, tell me what is going on please."

 

Ethan's voice takes on a sarcastic tone "Oh, yes...I married him...it's all part of my cover, you see..."

 

Kiari pales considerably "She didn't..that's why she's there? What Kelain said.."

 

"It's all an elaborate trick so I can get into his mind to learn all of your secrets..but darn..you figured it out."

 

Kiari frowns "Commander..no matter what my brother suspects and no matter what my apparently foolish daughter did..I trust my son's judgement."

 

Ethan is taken aback slightly, not sure if she can believe what she was told. "You don't deny, then, that you knew about all of this...did you ASK your brother to conduct his little investigation?"

 

"Did I ask Kelain? Hardly. The only thing I ever told Kelain about you was that you and Nick were seeing each other."

 

Ethan sighs "Well, you seem sincere..I'm just not sure I can believe you."

 

Kiari shakes her head slightly "And I certainly did not send Terra out there to somehow convey the impression that I or Nick's father disapproved of you. What she did was without my knowledge and I am going to have a long talk with her and her twin brother when she gets home."

 

"To give her a medal?"

 

"And if you think Nick would listen to me if I told him to stop seeing you then really you should know him better. Medal? What? Do they give out medals for foolishness?"

 

Ethan smiles despite herself "Yes, I know him better than that...but..I'm still not familiar with all of the cultural traditions. And yes, I have seen medals given out for foolishness."

 

"Fine, then I'll give her a medal for foolishness...right after I ask her what she thought she was going to accomplish."

 

"She was trying to save him and your race, I suspect, from me."

 

"Commander Hawke, I know of your background because of what my brother did and I apologize for that. However, while Nick is young he isn't so young as to be gulled by any such attempt. He trusts you and I trust my son's judgement."

 

Ethan sighs in relief "Okay..I do love him..and yes, I know we didn't tell you, but it was...well..." She blushes slightly before continuing "...kind of a spontaneous decision while we were on Pacifica, and after we got back..it's been nothing but chaos."

 

Kiari nods slightly "Commander, I can't say I'm perfectly fine with finding out that you and Nick got married but it's only because I very much wanted to be there when my son did get married." As she says the last she smiles warmly.

 

Ethan smiles and nods "We know..and we planned to have a more formal ceremony for both families..just as soon as the galaxy will stop trying to come apart around our ears."

 

"Thank you. And again I apologize on behalf of my brother and my daughter. I will have a talk with them when I get a chance I assure you."

 

"I'm sorry you found out this way...I..was a little upset by what Terra said."

 

"Yes, that I can understand. I would have been too."

 

"If Kelain had really done his homework, he would have told you that...things recently haven't been easy for me."

 

Kiari shrugs slightly "Kelain doesn't everything...as this demonstrates."

 

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you..."

 

"You owe me no apologies, Commander. It's my family that should apologize."

 

Ethan shakes her head "While her thickheadedness is unnecessary in this case, Terra does see it as attempting to protect her brother."

 

"Yes well, neither one of them are children any longer. She should have trusted Nick..and you."

 

Ethan sighs quietly, "She doesn't trust me..I'm not sure she ever will."

 

"She will. It may take some time but she will. But do know that you have the trust of myself and Nick's father."

 

"Thank you, that means a lot to me."

 

"If there is nothing else, Ethan..if I may call you that, I imagine you have things to tend to."

 

Ethan nods "Please do, and I'm sure you do as well. Thank you for your time."

 

Kiari smiles "Take care..of yourself and him. And welcome to the family."

 

Ethan smiles, "I intend to. He tends to need it. And thank you."

 

Kiari chuckles "Yes he does..and you're welcome." With that she reaches to close the channel.

 

As Ethan watches the image fade out she sighs with great relief. At about that moment she hears the doors to their quarters open and she senses NIck approach the bedroom door. She turns away from the computer terminal to see him come in.

 

He asks quietly "Are you ok? I am sorry about..."

 

She smiles slightly "It's all right."

 

He kneels before her, looking a bit anxious. "You sure?"

 

She raises a hand to caress his cheek. "Yes, I'm sure..you can tell that. Oh...umm...I called your mother." As she says the last she sounds concerned.

 

He leans into the caress. Blinking he asks "You called..why?"

 

She says sheepishly "Because I wanted to know if she felt the same way as your sister."

 

"What did she say?"

 

Ethan smirks "She said you need someone to watch out for you."

 

Nick smiles briefly "Sounds like her."

 

"She also said she's going to give Terra a medal." Ethan doesn't sound upset by that.

 

Nick arches an eyebrow "A medal? For?"

 

Ethan nods and says "Stupidity."

 

Nick chuckles briefly at that. His expression sobers as he asks "What do you think would have happened if she did say she felt the same as my foolish little sister?"

 

"I don't know..I'm glad she doesn't. I don't want to think about it..if she'd insisted..I might have.."

 

"I hope you didn't think that I would walk away from you. And you might have what? Thought that I would?"

 

"I might have walked away."

 

"Do you think I would have let you?"

 

Ethan smiles slightly "Do you honestly think you could have stopped me?"

 

Nick leans up to kiss Ethan. {{I would have follwed you to the ends of the universe.}}

 

Ethan returns the kiss before murmuring "Thank you, love. Now, what do we do about your sister? She'll never accept this..or me."

 

"She will in time. If she doesn't then it is her that loses out."

 

"Yeah..in a hundred years or so.." Ethan sighs before adding "I've never had a sister..and apparently I still don't."

 

Nick smiles "No, it will be sooner than that. She is not so foolish that she won't see and figure out what we have is genuine."

 

"Okay...seventy five years."

 

He makes a dismissive sound in response to that.

 

She says "I wonder if your brother feels the same."

 

"Probably not..at least I hope not." He sighs quietly "I am sorry..."

 

"Why? You didn't start it."

 

He closes his eyes briefly "No..but it is my family that did."

 

"Their motives were okay...just their judgement isn't."

 

"Yeah..but they still did nearly drive a wedge between us, however briefly."

 

"I'm sorry. I didn't react too well to it, did I?"

 

"No..but that was understandable. If I got accused by a member of your family of only being involved with you out of some ulterior motive I would have been mad too. And I can't say that it might not have created some doubt on whether you trusted me or not."

 

"Yes, well, I hope you still do..."

 

He nods "Yes, of course. With my life....and everything that goes along with it."

 

She slips her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

 

He returns the embrace, murmuring softly "The only person that can tell me to walk away from you is you, Imzadi."

 

She leans back slightly and glances around, smiling. "Hmm..we are in the bedroom...how convenient." She kisses him deeply.

 

He returns the kiss as he stands, pulling her against him. {{Sure? Your hand...}}

 

By way of reply she turns and pushes him back towards the bed.