Silent and Still, Part II--The Front Line

[Samantha Riker 0]

Silent and Still, Part II--The Front Line

SD 10305.24

 

from the Personal Log of William T. Riker, Captain, USS Titan:

 

 

"Any change?"

 

"No, sir." The nurse shook his head apologetically. He watched Captain William Riker take a deep breath before opening the door to his daughter's room. Through the window he could see the Captain's cheerful attempt to urge a response from the girl. The nurse shook his head again, this time in pity, and moved away. When this patient's father had shown up--a Starship captain!--the entire staff had groaned, anticipating unrealistic demands and orders for the performance of miracles. He'd turned out to be not too bad, for a Ship's Captain. One thing was certain: he loved his daughter.

 

"Hi, baby," Will smiled at Samantha, leaning over the bed to kiss her on the forehead before taking the chair by her bedside. Sam smiled weakly in response, then crinkled up her forehead questioningly.

 

"Aunt Deanna had to go to Betazed for a couple of days. She'll be back," Will explained, taking Sam's hand. "While she's gone, baby, you and I have to have a serious talk."

 

Sam raised one sarcastic eyebrow at him.

 

"I know that tone of voice, young lady, even if you aren't speaking out loud," Will teased gently. "Sammy, sweetheart," Will began, tightening his hold on her hand, "I know this is difficult for you. I'm sure you're angry and confused by the things that happened, but baby, if you don't talk about them--hey," his voice tightened when Samantha rolled her eyes and turned her head away, trying to tug her hand from his grip. "Samantha," he said, gently but firmly, then, "Samantha, look at me," sternly as her resistance increased.

 

He reached a hand toward her face. Samantha started to shake her head, keeping out of his grasp, but the advantage was all his; only a brief struggle ensued before Will was sitting on the edge of Sam's bed, one hand on her chin, the other on her hair, gently holding her head still. Samantha met her father's eyes with a furious stare.

 

"Good, get angry," Will agreed, "get so angry that you want to spit all of it out. As long as your memories and feelings sit inside you, they'll control you, and if that happens, then they've won. Since when does Samantha Riker let anyone win, without giving them a damn good fight?"

 

Tears welled up and spilled out of her eyes. Will could feel her muscles slacken under his hold. "Oh, baby," he whispered, gathering her to him, rocking her and stroking her hair. "I wish I could do it for you, but this time Daddy can't fix it, no matter how much he wants to." They sat quietly for a while, Samantha finally loosening somewhat the fist she'd been holding so tightly inside herself, Will pretending for a moment that holding her could make everything right.

 

"Sam, I spoke to Uncle Jean-Luc earlier. He's coming to see you. Maybe you'll talk to him, hmm? You know what he's gone through in his career, first the Borg, and then the Cardassians. So maybe you'll trust that he really does understand what you're feeling right now. You have to talk to someone, sweetheart. I am not going to lose you inside yourself, you hear me?" He pulled back from his daughter gently, to look into her eyes, only to find them closed "On the other hand, sleep is good for you, too," he said dryly. He held her a while longer, just because he could, before gently laying her down and tucking her in, and moving back to the chair by the bed where he kept watch over his little girl while she slept.

 

 

-=/\=- Copied and saved to the file of

 

LtCdr D Samantha Riker

aboard Starbase 36, attached to the USS Arcadia

TDY: Starfleet Intelligence