Reunited

Posted on Sun Feb 9th, 2020 @ 2:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD
Edited on on Sun Feb 9th, 2020 @ 4:59pm

1,552 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 104 - A Glimmer of Hope...
Location: Erebus Colony, Medical Facility
Timeline: MD1 - Current Time

Ariana sat alone in her office she was trying to get used to being back to square one with her senses. Since her blending with the section 31 personality that had been awakened within her she'd found her senses more uncontrollable, hence why she now sat alone.

She thought back to a month earlier and her time with Carolyn.

{ First Federation Planet - a month ago}

Kneeling on the floor, using her fingertips to create a rainbow of colour as she touched the forcefield, Carolyn grinned as the local marine life came into view. How long she sat there she wasn't entirely sure, just enjoying the chance to be alone and process everything that had been thrown at her since she awoke in the shuttle. At least until Harris got back and realised she wasn't in bed.

So many new people, places, so many changes... pushing all of that away she sat, humming a tune her mother used to sing as her touches on the forcefield replicated the sound. It was comforting when it felt like her grip on her sanity was disappearing. Now more than ever she needed her mother's strength. Heaven help her, she needed her grandmother's strength.

Standing, she decided to go back before she gave Harris some sort of breakdown. Even so she walked slowly, both reluctant and exhausted. And then she heard her voice. Stopping, she turned, listening. For a long time it was silent and she began to think it was just another hallucination. It wasn't like she hadn't had more than a few even since she got here... but this felt different. Familiar somehow.

"Ariana?!"

Ariana breathed a sigh of relief as Carolyn remembered her, she needed her friend more than she realised. “It’s me” Ariana smiled warmly as she appeared at Carolyn’s side and offered a quick hug. “You remembered me! I wasn’t sure you would.”

“I do,” Carolyn promised before doing something she rarely did, throwing her arm around Ariana in the tightest of hugs. Every memory she had of her felt raw and new, yet she also knew she owed her life to her. “Thank you,” she whispered in her ear, “Harris told me that you came to check on me. If you hadn’t...”

“I...felt like something was wrong. I had to check.” Ariana smiled warmly. “So how are you? I was told that you’re...pregnant?”

“Seems like everyone knew before I did,” Carolyn confirmed with a small smile. “I can’t believe you are really here?! Hallucinations have been freaking me out but you are actually here! But how? Why? And Stacey ... is she okay? I was holding her when everything started going weird. I didn’t hurt her, did I?”

“No, of course you didn’t!” Ariana offered a warm smile before it faded. “Hades told me I’d have to leave her behind. It was the only way I could get the help I need.”

“What happened?”

Before Ariana could speak someone nearby cleared there throat to announce their approach. Carolyn offered the man, part of the medical staff a sheepish smile as she took Ariana’s arm and sighed, “I tend to lash out if people sneak up on me. Walk with me back to my room, I want to know what’s wrong?”

Ariana nodded. “I don’t want to trouble you with my problems when you’ve got problems of your own.” She gave her friend a smile. “I’m just glad to see you.”

“Nope,” Carolyn shook her head. “We are in First Federation space, at the bottom of the ocean. You wouldn’t have left your daughter - and Hades wouldn’t have sent you here - if it wasn’t serious.”

As they entered her room she eyed the bed wearily before sitting on the edge, patting the space beside her. “Please?”

Ariana smiled and nodded before moving across to sit by Carolyn. “I err...there’s something going on with me, to do with section 31. Hades showed me the results of the scans he did on me, it seems my brain is growing new connections between the two lobes. He doesn’t know why and he’s hoping the First Federation doctor’s can figure it out and help me.”

“New connections?” Carolyn repeated curiously. “And he may be right, a lot of the technology here is way beyond anything we have. He wouldn’t have sent you if he didn’t think it would work.”

“Carolyn...something strange happened. I don’t remember boarding the shuttle that brought me from the station. I remember getting a blinding headache in my Quarters aboard the station, next I know I’m aboard the shuttle on the way here with Nivar!” She paused. “I wasn’t beamed onboard and I was conscious so what happened? Why can’t I remember?”

“Perhaps another personality... I don’t know without seeing the data and Harris would go insane. Has anything like that happened before? Was it different from when you defended your father from Andy?” She could barely utter his name before it was like a ghost, standing not two feet away from them. She squeezed Ariana’s hand tighter, trying to stay calm and remind herself he was just another memory playing tricks.

Which didn’t stop her from almost jumping out of her skin when he tried to touch her.

“Are you okay?” Ariana looked at Carolyn as she squeezed her hand and jumped, “What’s wrong?” She looked around like she was expecting someone to be there. “Carolyn?”

“It’s fine,” Carolyn said quickly, closing her eyes for a moment. “It was just ... it was like he was here. Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. My mind is playing tricks on me right now...”

Ariana nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “I understand, I haven’t really thought about it much since it’s too much of a nightmare!” She massaged her temples. “It gives me a headache just....thinking about it.” She rested her head in her hands as she had another splitting headache.

“Ariana?” Carolyn asked, concerned as she nodded for the nurse hovering nearby to get some help. “I’m sorry I should’ve have mentioned him. Please, what’s wrong? Another headache, like before?”

Ariana nodded before suddenly moving to stand up, seemingly better. “It’s okay now.” She walked around the room curiously looking at things. “So exactly where are we? What planet?” She looked at Carolyn giving her a whole different look. A colder more uncaring look.

Carolyn stood, the bed now between them as she watched Ariana closely. The sudden shift in her tone, even her walk and demeanour was startling. “You know where we are,” she pointed out, “you left Stacey behind to come here, remember?”

“Of course I remember” Ariana nodded. “I just haven’t been told what planet I’m on, the whole cloak and dagger routine was quite effective!” She folded her arms. “You already know I’m not her so why bother trying to hide it?”

“Agreed. I’m just not sure who you are,” Carolyn admitted. “And cloak and dagger ... quite the statement from Section 31. Where is she?”

“She, as you put it, is right here in-front of you Carolyn!” She smiled. “I’m just the part of her that was kept locked away until the final activation. Now I’m here just like I was supposed to be, I’m her...self defence mechanism. The part willing to do what has to be done, though I’m sure dear Daddy would despise me if he saw me like this!”

“You make her sound weak,” Carolyn retorted. “She is anything but. And you are not her. She is stronger than you give her credit for. And since there is nothing here to defend against, you don’t need to be here.”

“Is that what you think?” She shook her head before suddenly massaging her head like she had before. She cursed out loud before her body language changed again. “Carolyn?” Ariana looked at her friend. “What happened? What did I do?!”

Carolyn hurried over to her, wrapping her arms around her, relieved to have her friend back. “It’s okay, you didn’t do anything really,” she assured her friend. “I think the other you was just worried you were in danger. Kind of my fault. Come on, we should get you to the doctors. And Ariana?”

Ariana looked at her friend with tears in her eyes. Her worst nightmare had just been confirmed and she was afraid what might happen next. “Yes?”

“I’m gonna tell you what I told her, you are strong. One of the strongest women I’ve met. And I know things happened with ... him ... but I still know that deep down you are a kind and good person. Whatever happens please hold on to that and your love for Stacey and I have faith you’ll find a way to get through this.”

Ariana nodded. “Thank you Carolyn.”

Carolyn smiled, “anytime. We’ve gone through a lot together, I’m here if you need me, okay?”

"The same goes for you too okay?" Ariana smiled warmly. "I'll always be there for you Carolyn."

(OFF)

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