<USS Avalon> "Belonging" Melanie Redgrave and Skyler

"Belonging"
Melanie Redgrave and Skyler   
 
It had been a long day. Pauly was starting to get on Melanie's nerves with  
his on going need to do everything for her. Apparently even padds were far to  
heavy for her to carry. After her shift she'd gone home to an empty cabin 
again,  so she'd stopped by Elijah's office for a little while. When he was 
once 
again  off and running she'd left, but she didn't want to go home, she didn't 
feel like  being alone so she went to Skyler's even though she knew her sister 
had at least  another hour on her shift. Melanie had been more then a little 
surprised to find  her sister's yeomen walking around her sister's quarters 
dressed in barely  anything, but she smiled politely as the woman excused 
herself. Melanie laughed  as she settled onto Skyler's couch. "You've been 
holding 
out on me big sister."  She teased as fingered Skyler's old ratty sweat shirt 
before dozing off a  little. 

Skyler had spent her time on the bridge contemplating different  things. 
Things like suddenly becoming an Aunt, getting a brother-in-law after  just 
finding her sister. Her relationship with Mia. It was a good thing her  shift 
was 
just about over, so she could go and see if Mia was still there. She  wanted to 
make sure she was okay. After giving report, she left the bridge and  made her 
way to her quarter's. She was actually in a somewhat cheerful mood, all  
things considered. She walked into her quarter's and without really looking  
called out to Mia. "Mia, where are you?"

After a bit of a yawn, Melanie  smiled without opening her eyes. "Is that her 
name?"

Turning toward the  voice she saw her sister laying on her couch. "Mel? what 
are you doing  here?"

"Taking a nap?" She replied with a smile. Sitting up she finally  opened her 
eyes and then shrugged. "Didn't wanna be alone." 

"I see.  Where is Eli and just what did you say to Mia?"

Melanie blinked. "Eli's  at work and I didn't say anything to her. She 
offered to leave so we could spend  time together." Getting to her feet she 
tugged 
at her "this shirt fit last week"  button up shirt. "But apparently this was a 
bad idea. I should have called  first." 

"I never said you needed to call first, you know you are always  welcome 
here. Would you like a little larger top so you are not so  uncomfortable? How 
is 
the baby anyway." Heading into the bedroom, Skyler found a  larger top and 
returned to the living room and tossed it at her sister. "I would  let you 
borrow 
my ratty sweats, but you would probably throw them  away."

"I swear this thing fit me just last week." Melanie muttered as  she changed 
her shirt. "And I wouldn't do that. I'd have nothing to tease you  about if I 
did. Though I guess I could use the fact that you didn't tell me  there was a 
Mia. I wouldn't have just walked in if I'd known someone else might  have been 
waiting for you." Melanie sat back down on the couch and got  comfortable. 
"I'm sure you would have rather come home to your blond in the  little black 
nighty then your pudgy, mood, baby sister." 

"Hmm, let me  see. A blond in a little black nighty compared to a pudgy, 
moody baby sister.  That is a difficult choice." She grabbed a soft pillow and 
threw it at Sunni.  "Why wouldn't I want to see my baby sister and I haven't 
told 
you about Mia  because I don't know if there is anything to tell. I'm not 
even sure you would  approve."

Melanie picked up the pillow that had thumped her in the chest  and threw it 
back. "What do you mean you don't know if there's anything to tell?  the woman 
was half naked waiting for you to come home. And as long as she makes  you 
happy and knows I'd hurt her if she hurt you then I'd approve." 

"I'm  not sure where things stand at the moment between myself and Mia. It's 
still new  to both of us, in different ways, still new the same. I would've 
told you  eventually, just like you eventually told me about Eli or was it 
someone
else  who told me?"

Melanie laughed. "I believe it was your blond in the black  nighty."

"That's funny, I don't remember a black nighty, must've been  someone else." 
Laughing Skyler walked back into the bedroom and changed her own  clothes, 
walking back out in her ratty sweats. "So, brat, you want something to  drink 
or 
eat? Or do you just want to talk."

"Orange juice please."  Melanie replied. "And who said I wanted to talk? I 
just didn't want to be along  again tonight." 

Skyler walked into the kitchen area and replicated a  glass of orange juice 
and a glass of her usual Diet Pepsi. "So, are we just  going to stare at each 
other while we drink ourselves silly?" She handed Sunni  her juice and sat down 
in the chair across from the couch. "You wanna tell  me what's going on or 
should I delve into your thoughts?" She grinned at her  sister, feeling 
comfortable with her for the first time in a while.

"I  can't drink myself silly. I'm still going to the loo to pee every ten 
minutes."  After taking a drink of her juice, Melanie added. "And stay out of 
my 
head."  

"Geez, you are moody aren't you? Don't worry I'm not going into your  head. 
You are welcome to stay as long as you want and you don't even have to  talk." 
After taking a swig of her drink, Skyler got up and started to putz  around 
her 
quarter's. If her sister wanted to talk she would let her  know.

Melanie placed her hand on her belly while she watched Skyler move  about the 
cabin. Finally after a while she said, "He missed another  appointment." 

Skyler walked back to the couch, picking up Sunni's leg  and placing them 
across her lap. She began to massage her sister's feet without  realizing she 
was 
doing it. "What appointment? With the Doc? How many has he  missed?" Skyler 
was
trying not to show her aggravation at this man who was  the father of her 
niece.

"He's busy. Skyler." Melanie said softly as she  leaned back against the arm 
of the couch and a pillow. "We're deep in the  badlands looking for Maquis." 

"Too busy to be there for his fiance and  child?"

Melanie looked angry. "He's protecting us the way he knows how."  It's what 
she'd been telling herself for weeks. 

"Is he? Really?" Skyler  told herself to remain calm and not explode. She 
concentrated on massaging her  sister's swollen feet instead.

"I didn't come down here so you could  start, Skyler." Melanie warned. "He's 
really trying. I swear he is."  

"What have I done now? Nevermind, I will just keep quiet." Damn him,  doesn't 
he see what he is doing to her?

Pulling her legs back,  Melanie twisted on the couch so she could out her 
head in her sister's lap. She  was still for a few moments before asking, "What 
do you think of the name  Grace?" 

Needing to keep her hands busy, Skyler started to stroke Sunni's  hair. She 
reached out and grabbed her sister's hand, intertwining their fingers.  It was 
the first time she actually 'felt' close to her. "I think it's a nice  name. 
What matters is what you think of it." She had been hoping they would come  up 
with something that would be similar to their own birth names as well as  
their mother's, however it was up to her sister and Eli to decide.

"I  know what your thinking, Skyler." Melanie replied with smile as her eyes 
drifted  closed. 

"Now who is in whose head?"

Melanie snuggled a little.  "Don't have to be in your head to know you'd 
rather I choose a name that fit  ours and Mother's."

Skyler had been staring at their hands trying to  remember what their 
mother's hands looked like. Keeping the laced hands  together, she placed them 
on 
Sunni's extended abdomen. "You can choose any name  you want. After all you are 
the mother. Speaking of which, have you talked to  your mother lately? Is she 
ready to be a Grandmother?" If only Momma could be  here to see this...

"I have. She called to see how her grandchild was  doing." Melanie laughed a 
little. "She said that my Uncle's fine with the idea  of having the wedding at 
the 
chapel on his estate and she even talked the  Bishop into doing it, the 
christening too. Oh and she sends you her love."  

Skyler listened although not quite hearing everything that Sunni said.  
"Chapel, Estate, Bishop. I guess that means you won't be getting married on the 
 
ship?" Skyler thought back to her own wedding so long ago. How Moreya had stood 
 
at her side, how special it had been, now how it was all gone, different.  
"She sends her love to me? She doesn't even know me?"

"Your my sister and  that's all that matters to her." Melanie replied. "And I 
haven't talked to Eli  about it, but no I hadn't planned on doing it on the 
ship." 

Gently  rubbing Sunni's belly, Skyler simply stated, "You could always have 
two  weddings. One on the ship and one at your mother's. That way those that 
you want  to attend will be able to. At least one or the other. What do you 
think 
Eli  will have to say about it all?"

"Why couldn't everyone just come to the  one on Earth?" Melanie asked. She 
smiled at the movement on the belly and  wondered if her sister knew she was 
doing it.  
"You know how Starfleet is? Not everyone may be able to get away. Someone  
will have to stay aboard the ship." Skyler continued to rub her sister's belly, 
 
her mind running in circles. "It's just a suggestion."

Melanie nodded.  "I'll think about it, but ask long as you and Georgia and V, 
and Lissi are there  then everyone else is just pudding." 

"V, whose V? There is no doubt in  my mind that Georgia will be there. I 
doubt that a stampede could keep her away.  You know Lissi will be there and if 
Georgia is there you can bet that Eliza Mae  will be as well. Both fighting 
over 
whose pie is better."

"Vevay  Davis." Melanie answered before turning her head to look up at her 
sister. "And  what about you?" 
Still rubbing her sister's belly, Skyler didn't answer  right away. She 
wasn't sure what to say. 'If I can get the time off, sure I will  be there."

Melanie frowned. "You don't sound as if you want to be."  

"I never said that. If I can be there you know I will. I only have one  
sister ya know." She wasn't too sure how she would feel around all of Melanie's 
 
family and on their estate. She hadn't been on an estate since their mother  
died.

"I'm sure the Captain wouldn't refuse you leave to attend your  sister's 
wedding and the christening of your niece or nephew." 

"I  suppose not, but that would leave him short 3 officer's of relative 
importance.  There is still time for all that."

Melanie blinked. "Three? And we'll be  on Earth, how much of a crew does the 
ship need to be in dock at McKinley?"  

"You didn't say anything about the ship being docked. I just figured you  
take a shuttle or something. Next time I won't assume anything." I can see  
there 
is going to be no easy way out of this...

"Why do you want out  of it?" Melanie asked as she sat up. She hadn't meant 
to do it, but the thought  was just there. 

Taken aback at her own thoughts being thrown back at her  Skyler looked at 
Mel. "What the hell are you doing in my head?"
"I wasn't." Melanie shot back. "The thought was just sorta there." Getting to 
 her feet she walked to the other side of the room. Everything she'd read 
about  stress and high blood pressure was dancing around in her head.  

Seeing how agitated Melanie was Skyler closed off her thoughts. "Look I'm  
sorry. You know I will be there. Come back and sit down. You need to get off  
your feet. Please?"

Melanie didn't turn around. "You don't want to be."  

Sighing, Skyler walked up behind her sister and put her arms around her.  
"Yes, I do. I wouldn't lie to you. I'm just not sure how comfortable I will be  
around all of your family. That's all. Now will you please come and sit back  
down and prop your feet back up. It actually felt natural for the first time in 
 a long time to have your head in my lap. Kinda brought back  memories."

"They know about you, Skyler. Mum's told them. They won't  treat you and 
Georgia as anything less then family, because you are family."  Melanie replied 
as 
she let herself be lead to the couch. "You'll have time to  meet them before 
all the big stuff happens." 

Skyler helped Sunni back  down onto the couch, propping her feet up and 
placing her head back in her lap.  "Sunni, it's not so much them as much as it 
is 
me. They may consider me family,  but outside of Georgia and you, youâre the 
only family I've ever known. It's not  as easy as you make it sound. I wish it 
were."

"It's only for the time  were there, Skyler, I wouldn't ask more of you." 

"Honey, youâre not  asking anything that one sister wouldn't ask another. I'm 
sorry I'm so...I don't  know what I am. I just want you to be happy. That's 
all that matters." She  leaned down and kissed the top of Sunni's head, 
unconsciously rubbing her belly.  

"Having you there with me will make me happy." Melanie replied as she  closed 
her eyes. 

"Then I will be there, right between Georgia and Eliza  Mae."

Melanie smiled and then laughed. "Do you think Georgia would make  me one of 
her pies if I told her the baby wanted it?"

"You know Georgia  would do anything for you. You have her wrapped so tight 
around your little  finger it's not even funny."

Melanie laughed again. "It comes with being  the baby." 

"Youâre lucky you are in your present condition or else I  would have to take 
offense at that remark and do something about it." Skyler  smirked at her 
sister.

"I'd just tell Georgia." She teased before  yawning. "And she'd thawp you in 
the head." 

Taking a pillow, Skyler  placed under Melanie's head. Stroking her hair she 
started to hum a song she  remembered from when Sunni was little. Go to sleep 
little one and I will  watch over you.

Melanie felt herself dozing off again. "Love you."  She managed to get out 
before finally giving in and falling into a light sleep.  

"Love you to Sis." Leaning her head back against the couch, Skyler took  one 
last look at her sister before closing her  eyes.

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