<USS Avalon> "And Baby Makes Three or is it Four?" Skyler, Melanie and Georgia

"And Baby Makes Three or is it  Four?"
Skyler, Melanie and Georgia   
 
Having made her decision Skyler made herself some tea and changed into her  
"special" old comfortable academy sweats. She sat cross legged on the couch,  
sipping her tea trying to forget everything about Betazed.  

Heading down the hall towards Skyler's room, Melanie couldn't help but  smile 
a little. Somehow arriving at the homeworld of the mother who'd given  birth 
to her just as she finds out that she herself will soon be giving birth  
seemed just to perfect. Reaching out, Melanie rang her sister's door chime and  
called out, "It's me." 

Skyler didn't say anything for a while. She knew  in her heart that Mel was 
going to want to go down to the planet, but she just  didn't know if she could 
do it. Doing as Moreya had taught her she tried to  clear her thoughts. "It's 
open."  

Walking into Skyler's living room, Melanie stopped, blinked and scrunched  
her nose. "What are you wearing?"  
"Why do you always say that when you see these sweats? They do get cleaned ya 
 know. I thought you would be down on the planet with Eli by now? What's up?" 
 
Melanie plopped down on couch next to Skyler. "We're going to go down but I  
want the first time I see my true homeworld to be with my sister." Melanie  
smiled. "And Georgia."  

Taking a sip of tea Skyler wasn't sure what to say. She hoped she had her  
defenses up enough that Mel wouldn't be able to sense how she felt about  
Betazed. "Wouldn't you rather see it for the first time with the man you love  
and 
not someone you barely know?"  

"I've know both you and Elijah the same amount of time." Melanie could  tell 
that Skyler was trying to avoid something, she just didn't know what. "And  I 
love you both. I want to go down with you for the first time. You said you'd  
show me where our home was, where Celeste came from."  

Uncrossing her legs, Skyler stood up and walked to her window and looked  at 
the planet below. She had said she would show Mel all those things, but they  
also held too many painful memories. How was she going to get out of this one. 
 She tried to take another sip of her tea but the cup and tea were shaking 
too  much, so much so that she was afraid it would spill onto the floor.  

Melanie would have allowed Skyler to stand alone by the window until she  saw 
her sister's hands shaking. Quickly, she made her way over to Skyler and  
wrapped her own hands around her sister's trembling ones. "I know it still  
hurts, but that's the past. We have a chance to make it home again."  

Still looking out the window at the planet, "How do you make it home  again, 
when you have never been back, never wanted to go back. When everything  you 
ever cared about was taken from you? How do you make that home again?  Explain 
it to me because I don't understand." Skyler just started to tremble all  
over.  

Melanie encircled her sister in a hug and held her tightly. "We start  over." 
She wanted to tell her sister about the baby so badly but she wanted to  do 
it on the planet. "Come on, Georgia's waiting for us."  

"You are one stubborn sister ya know that? All right let's go."  

"It must be a family trait." Looking her sister up and down, Melanie  plopped 
her hands on her hips. "Aren't you going to change?"  

"Bossy too." Skyler disappeared into her bedroom and returned a few  minutes 
later dressed in her uniform. "This better?"  

"Causal would have been preferred." Looking down at the dress she had on,  
Melanie wondered how much longer she'd be able to still fit into it. "But that  
will have to do." It was a rather quick walk down to the transporter and as  
Melanie stepped up onto the PADD a sudden thought stuck. Stepping back down she 
 walked over and whispered something to the tech who then smiled and nodded 
his  head. With a sigh of relief Melanie rejoined Skyler on the PADD. "Ok we're 
 ready." The tech nodded. "Ms. Lewis just went down. She'll be waiting for 
you."  

Skyler looked at the tech and then at Melanie. "What was that all about?  
Since when have you had a problem with transporters?"  

"I don't have one." Melanie replied before nodding to the tech. A few  
seconds later she and Skyler appeared on a garden path just outside the city.  
Melanie smiled at the sight of Georgia sitting on a near by bench. "I hope you  
haven't been waiting long."  

"I hasnt Miss Melanie. Morning Miss Skyler. Glads yous could come. I  knows 
yous hate this place, but meybe wit Miss Melanie here its gonna be  better." 

"Georgia, ole lady, sometimes I think you expect miracles to happen. I  
haven't seen any miracles on this planet for a very very long time."  

Melanie smiled brightly. "A long time is far to long." Now she was sure  that 
choosing to tell her this part of her family about the baby here was the  
right choice. "So, how about you showing me around?"  

"There really isn't a great deal to see. Just what exactly do you want to  
see? I doubt if the old house is even standing. More than likely just a pile of 
 
rocks." This was harder than Skyler thought it would be. 

She was taking  a chance with this, but Melanie went with it anyway. "In 
Celeste's journals she  says that she took you to a small park with fountain 
when 
she told you that you  were going to be a big sister. Can we see that?" 

"I'm not even sure  where that is anymore." Georgia looked at Skyler as if 
she was being stupid or  something. "Whys Miss Skyler, that were your favorites 
place to go. You was  always a draggin someone there."  

"Miss Melanie, Is knows where of this fountain is. I ken takes you there.  
Jest follows me." Georgia led the group down the gravel road and across the  
grassy field. In the midst of the field stood the fountain, next to some swings 
 
and benches.  
The fountain was made of white marble that seemed to gleam from the hidden  
lights and dancing water. It was breath taking. Melanie could see why Skyler  
would like it here so much. Smiling, Melanie walked over and sat down on one of 
 the swings and started to swing back and forth slowly. "I always loved 
these."  

"I know, I can still feel the times you kicked me with your feet as you  
tried to swing. You were such a brat." Looking at the fountain brought back  
memories that Skyler really didn't want to deal with. She started to take deep  
breaths in an effort to calm her mind.

Melanie watched Skyler for a  moment. "Why are you pushing them away?" 

Skyler looked at Melanie for a  moment, "Pushing what away?" Damn thought I 
had my defenses up better than that,  time to bring them up again "I don't know 
what you are talking  about?"

"Your memories of our life, your life, here." Melanie replied.  "You 
shouldn't try so hard to forget them. Your the only one who can tell us  what 
it was 
like here. What she was like, what we were like." 

"It's not  nice to pry into other's minds without their permission." Looking 
at the ground,  she thought for a moment before speaking. She needed the time 
to pull herself  together. "My life here ended the day you and mother died." 

Melanie blushed. "I didn't pry. Your projecting and you know I have no  
training." Getting off the swing, Melanie walked up behind Skyler. "But I'm 
back  
now and you have to help me remember her so I can tell.." She paused, looked  
over at Georgia and then back at Skyler. Taking a deep breath she went on. "So 
I  can tell my child what her grandmother was like." 

"I jest knew it, I  jest knew it whens you came into sickbay. You was all 
glowin' even if'n yous was  sick. I's so happy for you Miss Melanie." Georgia 
ran 
up and hugged Melaine.  

"Ain't it wonerful Miss Skyler? Yous gonna be an Aunt. Oh my girls is  having 
girls of ther owns I so happy." 

Skyler looked at Georgia then back at Melanie, not believing what she was  
hearing. "Are you trying to tell me that you are pregnant?"

"Yes."  

âSkyler just looked at her in disbelief. "You really are pregnant? You're  
going to have a baby? Congratulations!.....wait a minute. You are not married.  
Is it Eli's?"

Melanie blinked and then slapped her sister in the arm. "Of  course it's 
Elijah's!"
She couldn't believe she'd asked that. "And what does  it matter if I'm 
married or not?" 

"Because it's not the proper thing and  Mother would expect only the proper 
and best." I can't believe I am going to  be an Aunt, I'm not ready for this, 
kids hate me. 

"Wouldn't my being  happy about having a baby be more important then weather 
or not I'm married?"  Melanie asked. 
She had to admit Mel did have a point, as long as she was happy, that should  
be all that matters. "Are you happy? I mean really deep down happy?" Skyler  
thought of the one time when she was happy and it had all gone bad.

"It  feels as if everything's fallen into place now, Skyler." Melanie smiled 
at her  sister. "I've always had a family, but finding you and Georgia and 
learning  about our parents filled a hole in me somewhere. It let me feel that 
I 
was all  right enough to move forward with my life. I'm with someone I love 
dearly and  we're going to have a child. How could I not be thrilled?" 

Skyler walked  over and sat on one of the benches still looking at the 
ground. Georgia walked  over to her and sat down putting her arm around her. 
"It's 
gonna be all right  Miss Skyler. Yous know I loves you and so does Miss 
Melanie, I know yous is  hurtin but your momma she wouldn't want you to feel 
that 
ways. Yous suppose to  be happy for Miss Melanie and Mr. Elijah." Skyler leaned 
her head on Georgia's  shoulder and soon tears were flowing down her face. "Ole 
woman it's not right  that you know me so well. I am happy for them. Really I 
am. I just...  jus...â

"Just what, Skyler?" Melanie asked as she sat on the side of her.  

"It's silly and I don't even know why I am thinking about it." 

"Now, Miss Skyler yous know thats not the truth." Skyler still having her  
head on Georgia's shoulder, wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve. "I just wish  
they were here. They would be so proud of you and happy for you. I miss them 
so  much it hurts at times."

Melanie placed her hand on her sister's  shoulder. "I miss them too, Skyler, 
but this is how it was all meant to work  out. I think they are happy. Happy 
cause we're back together and because we're  about to start a whole new chapter 
for our family." 

"You know you were  their favorite. They doted on you every minute of the 
day. You couldn't do  anything wrong in their eyes. It may be a new chapter for 
our family as you put  it, but what about your parents, Eli's parents? 
Something tells me that between  those two families, this one is going to get 
lost in 
the dust. That scares me. I  can't, won't go through losing you again. I can't 
take it. We many not know a  hell of a lot about each other, but as you like 
to say, we are all we have and I  was just getting used to that. I know it 
sounds selfish and I'm sorry. I really  am happy for you both, but you know 
what 
this means?

"Skyler, your my  sister and no one can take that from us. Your going to be 
this baby's Aunt and  as much a part of her life as Elijah's family or my 
mother. This kid's going to  have family coming out her ears." 

"See, that's the part that bothers me.  I know it's stupid but still it 
bothers me. Celeste is your mother, I don't care  what any adoption paper says, 
or 
what any other document you can come up with.  Celeste is your mother. She 
gave birth to you, took care of you, and died for  you."

"I know that, Skyler." Tears welled in Melanie's eyes. "I still  blame myself 
everyday because she died because of me. She is my mother but so is  Juliana 
Redgrave. She raised me, Skyler." 

"Sunni, it's not your fault  that the outpost was attacked. It's not your 
fault that she was killed. You were  only a baby how could it be your fault? I 
know that Mrs. Redgrave raised you and  is your legal mother. But, you're 
having 
a baby, something Celeste always wanted  was grandchildren and now it's too 
late. She will never get to hold them, pamper  them, or even spoil them like 
she did you. Don't mind me, its this place. It  makes me crazy." 

Melanie wasn't sure what to say. "This baby will know that Celeste is as  
much her grandmother as my mum or Elijah's. I want her to know about Betazed,  
about Celeste, about what it means to come from this place. Your going to have  
to help me with that, Skyler." 

She looked at her sister with a very  surprised look. "I don't know nutin 
bout birthin no babies."

Melanie  laughed. "Then you must have been some kinda doctor back in those 
days." The  small smile on Skyler's face lightened the mood. "Besides that's 
not 
what I  meant." 

"I'll have you know I was a hell of a doctor back in those days.  Make me 
sound like an old fogey or something. What exactly did you mean?" 

"I didn't know I was part Betazoid until last year, Skyler. I've walled  up 
most of the empathy I should have. There's a chance my baby will have some  
kind of empathy and I'm clueless." 

"You are not clueless, maybe a little  afraid but not clueless. Growing up 
you never felt like you could tell if  something was bothering someone or had a 
pretty good idea what it was without  thinking about it? Or how you might 
suddenly know something might be wrong with  Mrs. Redgrave or someone else 
close 
to you?"

Melanie nodded. "I had that  with my Mum and Daddy and I have it now with 
you, Elijah, Georgia, sometimes  even Elissabeth"  
"Then as I said you are not clueless. You may or may not have it stronger  
with me simply because we are blood relatives, you knew Georgia so that is easy 
 
to explain. You will find however that if you don't develop some kind of 
defense  the stronger your abilities become the more you will feel being 
projected 
off of  people and it will drive you crazy. You have to develop some kind of 
wall to  keep your thoughts and emotions from leaking out and to keep others 
from coming  in. I know it doesn't make sense now but it will. You already can 
sense when  something is wrong with me, even if I don't call out to you. You 
know what to  do, you just have to start using it or rather get used to it." 

"Will you help me?" 

"I wondered when or if you were going to  ask?"
Melanie shrugged. "I guess I thought I had time but with the baby coming I  
want to be able to be there for her." 

Skyler stood up and put her arms  around Mel and pulled her close to her. 
"All you have ever had to do is ask and  I would do anything for you. I will 
help 
you and I will tell you about our  family." Kissing the top of Melanie's head 
she whispered, "Once a brat, always a  brat.  
Meanwhile Georgia was grinning from ear to ear and couldn't wait until she  
could tell Eliza Mae.

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