An honest talk

Posted on Sat Mar 23rd, 2019 @ 12:07am by Brigadier General Kaden Ross
Edited on on Sun Mar 24th, 2019 @ 9:16am

1,966 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: USS Pegasus - Ross Quarters
Timeline: Following "Medical Emergency Part 2"

With a diagnosis of Vulcan Flu, Freya had breathed a sigh of relief and returned to hers & Kaden’s Quarters aboard the ship. She didn’t mind the rest but it left her with no distractions to take her mind off what she’d remembered the night before. She was lying down on the sofa staring at the ceiling when Kaden got back.

Kaden entered their quarters unzipping his uniform jacket tossing it on the chair and kicking off his shoes before flopping down on the chair next to the couch. “What a day...I am exhausted from doing all these symposiums today.” He slouched down in his chair.

Freya offered a smile as she saw him sit down, grabbing a tissue she covered her nose & mouth to sneeze before throwing the tissue into the nearby bin with a few others. "So how was your day?"

Kaden wiggled his bare toes trying to get the soreness and stiffness out of them. “It was hell, I spent five hours arguing with a Xindi scientist that there no such thing as a Temporal Cold War and it was the reason for their attack on Earth. Come to find out that idiot got a hold of Rear Admiral Riker’s piss poor fantasy of the 22nd Century program, I swear these idiots believe that man’s ideas than what really happened.” He rubbed his head in agony not wanting to dwell on the matter. “Ugh, how did things go for you?”

“Oh just great!...the medical conference turned into a quarantine situation. It seems Rigelian Fever has arrived on Cardassia.” She pulled a tissue out of its box and wiped her nose. “Every spare medical person has been called upon to help, except me.”

Kaden looked Freya over he hadn’t noticed it at first but she didn’t look good. “Good lord, you look like shit are you okay?” He asked.

"Not really!" Freya offered a brief smile. "When Doctor Hades mentioned Rigellian Fever I was afraid I might have it..." She covered her nose and mouth with a tissue and sneezed. "One medical examination later, I'm home with Vulcan flu! To be honest...I feel like crap!"

Kaden placed his hand over hers he didn’t like the sound of her being sick. “There anything I can get you to help you feel better?” He asked as he started to get to his feet although he was still stiff and sore.

"Don't get up!" Freya offered a smile. "I got everything I needed before I lay down, but thank you anyway." She remained quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "Kaden I...need to talk about what happened to me." She looked across at him. "I want to shout and scream but I can't!!"

Kaden bit his lower lip he felt both angry and worthless solely angry that she didn’t reveal this to him all these years and absolutely worthless that he failed to protect her. But he felt it was about time she finally decided to talk about it maybe it would answer a few questions he had. Sitting back in his seat Kaden steepled his fingers as he rested his elbows on the armrests of his seat. “Alright, I am listening.”

Freya moved to sit up on the sofa. “You think I’ve been hiding this don’t you?” She looked at Kaden, she could feel the emotions he was feeling, the anger he was bottling was coming off him in waves. “Well don’t you!?” Her eyes met his, he always could tell whether she was telling him the truth from the look in her eyes, or so he’d always told her. “I honestly did not remember any of this until now!!” Tears came to her eyes but she never took her focus off her husband. “Do you honestly think I’d hide being....” She paused as she struggled to say the word. “..used, by another man, from you!?”

Kaden could feel his body tremble in anger but took a moment to compose himself so he didn’t wind up screaming or anything. “You’re right, I do feel like you hid this from me and it pisses me off,” He leaned forward in his chair. “It pisses me off even more that I failed you as your protector that I failed your parents your brother everyone who cares about you because I wasn’t there to prevent this from happening.” Kaden got to his feet running his hand thru his hair thinking. “But what bothers me the most now, is if I can’t protect my own wife the woman I love the woman I die for then how the hell am I supposed to protect our children when we have them?” He rested his arms on top of the chair he sat in as he ran his tongue along his teeth shaking his head. “It was bad enough that I fear they are going to wind up freaks like me now...I...don’t know what to think anymore...”

"Kaden I....I didn't hide this from you!!" Freya stayed where she was sitting. "I honestly did not remember what happened to me until now! I think trying to face my fear of being approached from behind is what made me remember it!" She sat looking at him. "I wouldn't lie to you but if that's what you believe just yell at me and get it over with."

“I didn’t say you lied to me nor is yelling at you going solve anything I just don’t understand.” Kaden said in a slightly raised tone before he sighed feeling defeated. “I have no idea how the mind works I am not trained in that field like you and Ariana are this isn’t something I fully comprehend like I would dealing with Marines or killing terrorists.”

Freya nodded. “I can try and explain.” She paused. “When someone experiences a traumatic event, they either deal with it or if they force themselves to forget. In such cases the brain locks away the memory until such time as something triggers that memory and it gets unlocked again.” She wiped away a few stray tears as she spoke. “In my case I couldn’t face telling you, I just....wanted to forget!” She could feel her own emotions starting to well up inside her. “How was I supposed to tell you?? I didn’t even know how to deal with it myself!!”

Kaden rubbed his chin in thought he had read and heard about this many times growing up he never thought he bear witness to such a case. “So...this is one of those cases where it becomes so traumatic the mind suppresses the memory?” He asked.

Freya nodded. “I honestly didn’t remember anything until last night!” She sat in silence uncertain what else to say. “I wish....I didn’t have to face this Kaden! How do you think I feel knowing that another man has....” She stopped talking as her eyes welled up with tears. “That I was...” She burst into tears.

Kaden couldn’t help see her cry when it came to Freya he cared about her too much to see her like that she was his strength, vthere to keep him going. Now it was his turn he was going to do the best he could to keep her going. Heading towards her Kaden sat on the couch rubbing her back hoping it help comfort her. “Frey, it don’t matter what matters is that you remember now and I am here to face this with you.”

Freya nodded as she reached for the box of tissues on the coffee table. "I wish I...knew where to start!" She wiped her eyes. "I guess once we get back to the station Ariana will be staying with us." She paused for a moment. "Kaden...how do I face going to my parents home next shoreleave? How can I walk in that house and see it as the same place after this?"

Kaden shrugged as he fell silent trying to figure out how to answer that question but something popped in his mind. “I couldn’t tell you, but one thing has me curious though...was you wanting to workout with me and fight better a result of this?” He asked.

"No...I asked because I felt...vulnerable I guess. Plus I couldn't be a marine medic out in the field with no practical knowledge of hand to hand combat or defending myself!" She held his hand. "I guess now I know why it is I was feeling vulnerable in the first place."

Kaden offered Freya a smile. “Well, I enjoy having you workout with me gives us more time together and despite your reasons I have to say you really make me proud that you came this far to be better on handling yourself in combat.” He rubbed her shoulders hoping it help her cheer up.

“You are the only man I truly trust to touch me at the moment Imzadi.” She looked at him and offered a smile. “I know you’d never hurt me.”

Kaden patted her on the shoulder before Artemis jumped up between them and rubbed his head against her arm. “I guess, Artemis, wants to help you feel better too or probably wants fed.” He rubbed the cat’s back.

"Cats are extremely intuitive" Freya smiled as she stroked Artemis as well. She found his presence relaxing. "Plus he wants you to give him more biscuits!" She grinned.

Kaden looked at his cat who just sat between them enjoying the attention before a slight grin formed on his face. “Of course, he would want more treats.” He reached over and pulled out a few of them from the bowl they kept nearby and offered them to him as he ate them anxiously. As Kaden petted his cat a few times he looked at Freya. “Ariana and I are going to help you get thru this I want you to know that.”

Freya cuddled up to her husband as she stroked Artemis. “I know you will Kaden. I’ve felt for a while like there’s been something bothering me, I thought it was just the whole baby thing but I know now it wasn’t just that.” She looked into her husband’s eyes. “All I need is you Kaden, I love you.”

Kaden kissed her on the lips while Artemis settled down between them purring away enjoying the attention from them. “I love you too, and it seems Artemis is happy you are feeling better...or just enjoying the amount of attention he is getting from us I can’t tell.”

"Well I think he's about to get a lot less attention." Freya smiled. "How's about you walk me to bed? I could do with a lie down."

Kaden felt tired as well maybe a nap would do them both good. “Suppose that is a good idea could use one myself.” He got to his feet rubbed Artemis on his side as he did so.

Taking Kaden's arm the two of them headed for the bedroom. Lying down beside him she cuddled up as best as she could feeling safe in his arms, it didn't take her long before she was sleeping peacefully.

Kaden changed into something more comfortable just having laid down on the bed when Freya cuddled up to him and fell asleep. He was about to do the same when Artemis jumped up on the bed and made himself a spot to lay down between them before falling asleep. With a sigh Kaden scratched his cat on the back for a few minutes before falling asleep himself.

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