Shadows of the Past -- Part 3

Posted on Tue May 21st, 2019 @ 5:53pm by Splendora Sage & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne
Edited on on Tue May 21st, 2019 @ 5:58pm

1,947 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 98 - A Raid on Peace
Location: Splendora's Quarters
Timeline: MD01 1530 hours

ON:

It had been quite a day, even after talking with Cameron about events Ariana still felt a need to talk to someone with Counselling skills and who better than Splendora. Arriving at Splendora's door she pressed the chime and waited for an answer.

The door opened and a tall man about 6'5 with brown hair and brown, amber flacked eyes opened the door. He looked down at the woman recognizing her as the woman who was with Splendora earlier. His mind went through the crew manifest. "Ah, counselor. Can I help you?" He knew that she couldn't read him as Section 31 he had precautious in place that prevented that but he looked menacing and he knew that put people off.

Ariana was slightly taken aback with bring greeted by the large man at the door. "I err...I was hoping to speak to Splendora?"

"She is unava..."

"Of for Pete's sake. Let her in." Splendora stood on shaky legs, pale, sweating and obviously ill.

Nivar sighed, "Fine. I'll be back. If you worsen call me not medical."

She glared at him no response. Nivar turned and left.

When the door closed behind him Splendora collapsed back on the sofa. "Please come in, get something to drink for yourself." She smiled a little weakly.

"Are you ill?" Ariana walked over to Splendora taking a seat nearby. "If you aren't up to visitors I can go?"

She smiled, "No...I'll be okay. Please help yourself to something." She could sense a plethora of emotion to the woman but her mind could not sort the feelings out. "It's a long story... But I sense something is wrong. Tell me."

"I don't need anything to drink but thank you" Ariana offered a smile. "I...had some shock news!" She fiddled with her fingers. "Doctor Harris called Cameron and I to his office, it seems my baby is....Cameron's!"

Splendora looked up in surprise...."But you had just met. How is that possible?"

"Long story short I had IVF to conceive what I thought was my husband's children. It seems he was told he couldn't have children so to avoid upsetting me he allowed them to use donated genetic material." She sighed. "He left me a letter explaining everything."

She now knew what all those emotions were. "You must have a thousand emotions, sorrow, betrayal, love, sadness, confusion, anger...." She looked at Ariana. "No censoring how do you feel with you husband's decision?"

"I..." She paused she could feel her emotions brewing up inside. "I'm...angry that he didn't consult me!, sad that he felt the need to hide this from me! But also...grateful that he gave me what I wanted!" She took a relaxing breath. "I'm a mess Splendora! I want to shout, scream and yell but at the same time I understand his reasons!!"

"Well the answer is simple." She smiled and took Ariana's hand. "First all those feelings are valid. He didn't consult you, I would say he loved you so much that he wanted a child with you. But all that aside. Forget the understanding. Allow yourself to feel the bad feelings, the anger, the disappointment. Let's try an exercise." She stood up shakily. "Let's go to the holodeck."

"Are...are you sure? You're not well Splendora." She looked at her friend.

She smiled, "I'll be fine. It should...go away soon. It always does." She wobbled along and slowly they got to the holo suite.

Holo Suite

Splendora conjured a holo chair and sat down. "Okay go stand in the middle, I will program it."

Ariana did as Splendora told her and moved to the centre of the Holodeck wondering what her friend had in mind.

Splendora keyed in some info and the holodeck shimmered. It was an exact replica of Ariana's quarters. The door chimed.

Ariana looked around. She suddenly felt very vulnerable.

The door hissed open and in walked a man who looked like Ariana's dead husband. "So you know," he said.

Ariana stood for a moment, just to see her husband standing there was an emotional blow. She didn't know what to do. "I...." She looked around for Splendora before taking a deep breath. "Yes I know!"

Splendora, hidden by the program spoke and eerily only her voice carried. "How do you feel. No holding back."

"How do you think I feel? You lied to me!!" She tapped into her feelings and soon couldn't stop. "You lied to me then you left me!!" Tears were streaming down her face. "How dare you!" She let rip and struck the hologram across the face before burying her head in the chest of the very realistic hologram. "I....miss you!!!"

He wrapped his arms around her. "I miss you every day. I was afraid that I couldn't give you a child. I wanted to more then anything. A selfish part of me wanted you to have a link to me forever ... or at least to think you did. But the joy it brought you to think the babies were ours....I loved you too much to take that away to not give the one request you made of me."

Splendora kept attuned to Ariana watching from her place hidden in the corner. She knew these were words that Ariana needed. She needed to get this out to say a full goodbye. It would help her move on.

"But I still lost you! Then I lost my baby!!" She slowly sank to her knees.

"You didn't loose me." He sank down by her. "We had a wonderful life and I loved your and you loved me. It's more then most people. I will always be with you and will have the child you lost. Although not a part of me he is a part of you and. We will always be connected but you have to let go. You have a second chance and you need to take it. Love is not a one time thing...you're Betazoid you know what. Your planet is a planet of love."

Tears were streaming down Ariana's face as she looked at the hologram of Jonathon. "I....I will, I promise!"

He brushed the tears from her cheeks and held her face gently smiling that smile that always melted her heart. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers gently, "Goodbye my love."

"Goodbye Imzadi" Ariana watched as the figure disappeared.

The image fizzled and everything disappeared. Splendora looked at the computer read outs her mouth opened but would not move. She looked at Ariana and then the computer again and then Ariana.

Ariana wiped her eyes as she remained sitting on the floor, looking at Splendora curiously. "What?"

"I....okay that's....I mean...." She looked at Ariana. "I programed the hologram to appear and say how do you feel. Not...I...not to speak like that!"

"What?" Ariana looked at Splendora curiously. "What are you saying?! That...that was...Jonathon??" She looked at Splendora.

"I...." she paled even more. "I.....I have no idea! I didn't program him." She looked at Ariana. "What just..." She looked behind Ariana. "Oh man...."

Ariana was completely speechless. She simply sat looking at Splendora in disbelief.

There again appeared Jonathan but this time in his arms was a child swaddled in blue. He smiled at her. A voice that came from everywhere, Jonathan's voice, "I will love him as much as I love you."

Splendora stood and walked over to her friend clasping her shoulders as she looked on.

For the first time since both her losses Ariana didn't feel guilty, lost or sad. Instead inner peace washed over her, she rested her hand on her stomach as she stood and looked at Splendora. "I'm ready to go now Splendora."

She smiled at her friend tears in her eyes. "Let's go then." The figure turned into a ball of light and they watched it fly off through the walls.

Splendora was silent on the walk back to her quarters. She had no idea what she'd seen but out of the corner of her eye she could have sworn she saw Lai'lira. She shook it off.

Ariana looked at Splendora. "Splendora....I didn't imagine what I saw did I? I really saw Jonathon and my son?" She looked at Splendora.

"Well if you imagined it so did I it was a group hallucination and that is not possible. I saw them too I....sensed them." Splendora stopped, she leaned on the wall. "Ariana I hate to ask but....I might need your help getting to my quarters."

"Do you want me to have you transported and I'll meet you there?" Ariana looked at her friend with concern.

"I can make it. It's okay." She held onto the wall. "I can do it." She pushed herself along the way with Ariana following close. They made it and the moment they entered Splendora collapsed. She looked at her friend. "I'll be okay." She looked at Ariana. "It the top drawer of the desk you'll find a Starfleet communicator. It's all black can you please get it?"

"Of course!" Ariana rushed over to the drawer and got the communicator. She quickly passed it to Splendora.

Splendora tapped it twice. "Nivar...I need you."

Within minutes the door whooshed open and back was the tall mysterious man. He scooped Splendora up and set her on the sofa. "Did I not tell you to rest!" He quickly pressed a hypo to her neck. "Sleep!"

She weakly gave a nod "I will." She looked at Ariana, "We still need to finish our talk."

Nivar looked at the women and then cursing in Vulcan he headed out he'd wait in the hall.

"What is happening to you Splendora?" Ariana took a seat and looked at Splendora. "What can I do to help you?"

She sighed, "That is a long story." She looked tiredly at her friend. "One that will take some time to explain..." She looked towards the door. "He's not helping but if he's right this is....just minor compared to what's to come."

"I know it's a stupid question but what is to come for you? I want to help. Just tell me what to do!"

She sighed, "We will talk. I want to make sure you are okay after what happened today with Jonathan...."

"I....I think so." She was still somewhat in shock at the miraculous marvel that had occurred in the Holodeck. "I just wish...I could go back and see them again but I know that's not going to happen. It's all been....something of a shock." She looked at her hands which were still shaking.

Splendora managed so sit up and scooted closer to where Ariana was sitting she took her hand. "It was a gift. A real way to say goodbye. Ariana this is a gift too. Think about it. Fate took your husband away and a child but left you with one child and a new love the very father of that child you carry. It's time to let go, time to move on. You saw Jonathan today and your son. You will always be a part of one another but you must open your heart now. All the way."

"I will" Ariana smiled. "Cameron has promised to be there for me and I have come to care very much for him. I don't intend to let him slip through my fingers." She smiled. "You need to get some rest Splendora and so do I. How's about I go and let you rest?"

She smiled, "Alright. We'll talk again tomorrow?"

Ariana nodded. "Tomorrow, thank you Splendora."

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