Two friends

Posted on Sun Dec 12th, 2021 @ 5:28pm by Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: Dex’s Quarters

{ON}

With Dex recuperating in her quarters, Callie was deliberately keeping herself busy to stop thinking about what had happened to her. She wanted to see how Dex was doing, so she stopped by Dex’s Quarters. Pressing the chime she waited for an invite to enter.

“Come” Dex said. The door slid open and Callie stood there.
“Hello Dex” Callie offered a brief smile as she entered through the door, her usual carefree attitude heavily muted by recent events. “I thought I’d drop by and see how you were.”

“Hey Callie, I am doing much better. Come in and sit down, let me get you something?”

Callie nodded. “A lemonade would be lovely, thank you” She walked over to a chair and took a seat. “I hear Congratulations are in order? You earned it.”

Dex poured fresh lemonade with ice for Callie. “Thank you, I’m not sure I earned it I just lurched from situaton to situation. I had a pleasant chat with the Captain and he invited me to breakfast, we discovered we have a love of tea. I am looking forward to it he is a fascinating man.”

She sat with her own drink putting her feet up on the couch . “Callie I wanted to thank you for being there for me and helping me find my way out of the mess that is my mind. I don’t think I could have done it with out you, and Sam of course. Now, about you my friend.” Dex cleared her throat.

T’ghrek informed me about your meld with him and what he discovered. He is so much more experienced than me so I can only say how sorry I am I did not discover it myself. What has happened since then?”

“Well I’ve spoken to Eislyn, She’s put me on light duties for now. To give me a chance to heal mentally.” Callie paused. “It just...makes me nervous. I get nervous being around male members of the crew I don’t know, trips in the turbolift are especially nerve wracking and I hate it!”

“It may seem like a silly question but why are you nervous?” She thought she knew why but Callie had to get it out in the open.

“Because I...” Callie paused, for a moment she couldn’t put her feelings into words. “Because I’m afraid of it happening again! The guy who did this to me is still out there Dex, he could be right next to me and I wouldn’t know him.”

“Look I am not making your fears into nothing but think logically. That bastard is Vulcan, nothing can happen unless he melds with you. He is not on board this ship, I would know.” Dex leant nearer and took her hand.

“Callie what you have gone through, the rape of your mind and body, a lesser person might now be under psychiatric care. If you like I can teach you a breathing technique called M’oVel, you can use it in situations like the turbolift. It will center you through your breathing.” Dex noticed Callie was becoming more agitated and wondered if Jon knew just how bad it was for her. She had an idea she might talk to him.

Callie nodded. “I think that would be great, thank you Dex.” She paused to pick up her drink and take a sip steadying it with both hands. “I’ve never been this nervous a person, it’s just...it’s like this just happened to me.”

Dex patted the seat on the couch next to her, “come and sit next to me.”

Callie nodded and moved across next to Dex. “We haven’t known each other long Dex, but thank you for being here for me.

Dex put her arm round Callie and hugged her then letting her go. “In many ways it just has happened to you, you really had no idea this was inside your mind. I am surprised that it has not come out until now, and forgive me but my brother told me everything he did to you and your mind. Something I should have asked you before now. Your previous lovers before John was everything ‘normal’ with them?”

“To be honest, there was never anyone else but Jon. At least no one as serious.” Callie smiled. “He was my first serious lover and I never found anyone who could match up to him.”

“Good this is very good. It means he has less of a hold on you.”
OK now put your glass down. Stand up and face me.

Callie nodded, putting her glass down she stood up from her seat and faced Dex.

I want you to breathe normally then take a deep breath and with your mouth closed let it out slowly and gradually through your nose, really deeply until you have no breath left.”

Taking a deep breath, Callie did as Dex instructed letting out her breath until she had nothing left to breath out.

“Good, now breath in through your nose just a little bit at a time as though you are sniffing, do that until your lungs are full.” She watched Callie as she practiced.

Callie nodded and did as instructed, the slow breathing was working to calm her down.

“That is right, now repeat it as many times as you need to. The great thing about this technique is that no one can see you doing it. It trains your Brain to think about the breathing rather than your fear.”

Callie nodded. “I’ll practice it, thank you Dex”

“You know my first name is Shoniara but my good friends call me Shon, that is unless you would rather continue to call me Dex.” She sat down and picked up her drink. “Sit down Callie.”

Callie took a seat next to Dex again. “Shon is perfect, you’ve been a friend to me ever since I came onboard. We’ve both been through a lot in a very short space of time.”

“You are the best friend I never knew. I would be hanging out in some Vulcan psychiatric ward if it were not for you. My door is always open to you day or night and you can tell me anything you know that.” She looked serious. “Callie would you like me to speak to Jon about what you have been through?”

“We’ve talked Shon, but maybe Jon should talk to you as well. This is as hard on him as it is on me. He’s my rock and he knows it.”

She took Callie’s hand. “I could give him an insight into what your brain is going through. I have to ask have you had any thoughts of harming yourself?”

Callie’s expression changed, a more scared look than anything else. “I...don’t know. Maybe for a few seconds when I first found out but...” she shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t do that! I have Jon & Harry to think of, I couldn’t do that to them!”

Shon breathed a sigh or relief, she had heard of suicides of victims before and what had happened to Callie was so much worse than a unwanted meld. “If you do promise me you will tell me and or Sam okay?”

“Of course I will” Callie nodded and offered a smile.

“Good now tell me how Harry is doing?”

“Harry is doing wonderfully! He’s settling in with us, he just loves his new room.” Callie smiled the happiest smile yet. “He’s a marvellous little man and I love him to bits!”

Shon smiled, “there you go I knew I could get a smile out of you. Are you and Jon adopting him formally?”

Callie nodded. “We’ve already started the process, there shouldn’t be any problems. I’m looking forward to being his mother from now on.”

“Well I’m available for babysitting, we got on rather well I think and you and Jon may need the odd ‘date night’ .” She laughed, “I wish I had someone to love me as much as he loves you.”

“I just wish I’d given him a chance years ago.” Callie sighed. “After I lost our baby I blamed myself and pushed Jon away. Actually...can you help me? I was never told what caused the loss of our baby. I need to know. Jon and I want to have a baby in the future Shon, I have to know what the risks are.”

“I shouldn’t think that would be a problem, I can do it now if you would like?”

“Really?” Callie nodded enthusiastically. “I thought you’d need to be in Sickbay for that.”

“No I have been doing some remote working, catching up on reports. I can access it from my PaDD, it just takes a couple of extra connections.” She picked up her device and logged on, “how far along were you?” she asked.

“I was still in my first trimester, around 8-10 weeks.” She frowned as she recalled. “I felt unwell, next thing I know I’m bleeding and that was that. No one could give me reasons as to why it happened except to say that it can happen.”

She tapped several times, “your medical records here are incomplete, where were you seen for your pregnancy?”

“Incomplete?” Callie gave Dex a curious look. “I was looked after at Starfleet medical, due to the fact that I was based at the Academy at the time.”

“That is really strange Callie, it looks like a whole slew of your medical records are missing…no, wait here they are they were misfiled, I say that kindly as to me it looks like they were hidden. Okay let’s see……Oh Callie I am so sorry.”

Callie gave Dex a worried look. “Sorry? Why should you be sorry? What do the records say?”

Shon looked sad, “it says the child you lost had Vulcan DNA, making it incompatible with your human physiology without help. Callie that child had to be a product of your rape.”

“What!?” Callie looked at Dex in shock, “the baby wasn’t Jon’s!? Are...you certain?”

“Yes as far as it says here the 92 % of the DNA was Vulcan, the rest yours, that is why you miscarried. Nothing to do with Jon not being compatible or you. That bastard raped you, you got pregnant and miscarried.” Callie had turned white. Shon got up and poured a small glass of brandy for her. “Callie, here drink this”

Callie took the glass with shaky hands, this news on top of everything else was making her feel totally shell shocked. “Thank you” She downed the drink in one go, before holding up the glass. “Can I get one more of those, please?”

Sho poured her another glass. “Callie I am sorry I had to tell you but you asked and I know you are better off knowing the truth. He took those years from you that you could have been with Jon.” She thought Callie might cry but she knew she was made of sterner stuff. “Have you thought about what, if anything you are going to say to Jon?”

Callie shook her head as she sat looking at the glass before taking a slower sip this time. “I don’t know what to say Shon, after everything that’s happened between us...I don’t want to throw his world into turmoil. But...he has to know! Will you help me?”

She hugged her friend “Callie you don’t even have to ask me, do you want me to tell him?”

Callie nodded. “Would you? I’m not sure I can even think about explaining it right now! It’s just too much!!” She downed the rest of her drink.

“I can come over to your quarters or we can do it in sickbay, so do you want to be with him and when do you want to do this?”

“As soon as possible.” Callie looked at Dex. “I have to be home with Harry later, I can’t hide this from Jon. He has to know!”

“Do you want me to come over this evening after Harry goes to bed?”

“Would you?” Callie nodded. “Thank you so much Shon!”

She nodded, anything for her friend. “Do you want me to come as a medical professional whom you sought advice from?”

“That, and as my friend” Callie offered a brief smile as she frowned and massaged her temples, her head was thumping. “I need some rest, my head is killing me.”

“I have a hypo on my bag if you want it, maybe you should lie on the couch for an hour have a sleep. I have work to do so will not wake you.”

Callie nodded. “Would you mind? I don’t want to be in your way.” She sighed. “It’s the stress it makes it hard for me to control my abilities.”

“Of course I do not mind Callie, you are my friend and you will never be in my way. Do you want something to make you sleep a little as well?”

Callie nodded. “Please, or I’ll just lie here dwelling on everything.”

Shon fetched two hypos from her bag, Puss rose and began to look interested. She waved him away. “Okay Callie here is the one for the headache.” She depressed the hypo into her neck. This next one will make you sleep without REM sleep so you will not dream.” You lie on the couch, I will sit here in my chair with all this work I have to do. We will not leave you, you are safe here with us okay.” She injected Callie with the other hypo.

Callie nodded and stretched out on the sofa, it didn’t take long for the hypo to take effect as her eyes closed. She was soon fast asleep.

Shon walked into the bedroom and returned with a shawl which she laid over her friend, went and made a cup of Earl Grey tea, scuffed Puss on the head took a seat and grabbed her PaDD and began to work.

{OFF}