<USS Avalon> Family Is What You Make It"

"Family Is What You Make It"
Skyler, Tavi and Moreya


As Moreya turned to leave the office, Skyler looked at her and  commented, "I 
 am going to stay here awhile or even return to my quarter's.  I am putting  
you in charge of the bridge. Just contact me when you hear  from the away
team. Again, my dear friend....Thank you for  everything."

"Of course.  Should I send Tavi in?"

"Yes  please. And I hope I haven't been too much of a bother."

"Never, my  dear."  Moreya headed out the door.

Watching as Moreya left Skyler  still couldn't believe all that had happened 
in what seemed like an  eternity. As the door closed she turned and went back 
to her chair. She was  still torn but at least it was in the open.

The one thing going round in  her head was Tavi. She had to make sure Tavi 
was taken care of and that she  realized she was number one no matter what. It 
didn't matter if she was  involved with anyone or not Tavi came first and
foremost. She also hoped that  Tavi would understand about Moreya being her 
godmother. She wasn't even  sure if she would know what a godmother was?

Tavi tore her eyes away from  the main view screen and obediently trotted 
into Skyler's office.   Something was wrong... not horribly wrong, just kind of 
mixed up and  confused wrong.  She could hear it Moreya's voice, and when
she entered  the office she could see it in Skyler's eyes as well.  Something 
was  wrong.  But something was right, too.  "Are you okay?" she asked  
softly.  It looked to her like Skyler had maybe been crying.

Trying  to hide the fact she had been crying Skyler looked up at Tavi. 
"Yes.....I'm  okay. I am better now that  you are here. I just have to gather 
my  
thoughts about a few things, but I will be okay. Nothing for you to  worry 
about."

Maybe a hug might help.  Tavi always liked a hug  when she got over crying, 
though for such a long time she'd had no one to  ask for one.  She went to 
Skyler and hugged her.

Skyler hugged  Tavi back, not expecting the hug to begin with. "Thank you for 
this hug. I  feel much better now. How about we go back to our quarter's for 
a while?"  Skyler kissed the top of  Tavi's head before letting her go. She 
then  stood and extended her hand. "Shall we Miss. Tavi?"

Aren't we going to  see what happens to the other ship? Tavi wanted to ask. 
But she  didn't.  Skyler needed her to be strong and not act contrary.   So she 
nodded and took the Captain's hand.  "Let's go home," she  agreed.

Home. That word coming from Tavi's mouth made Skyler smile  inside. "I know 
you want to see what happens with the old Avalon and we  will. Moreya will 
contact me as soon as she hears anything from the away  team. I wanted to let 
you 
know that I was very pleased with the way you handled  yourself on the 
bridge." Walking hand in hand the two finally made it back  to their quarter's. 
Upon 
entering Skyler immediately sat down on the couch.  She didn't realize how 
worn out she was from her talk with  Moreya.

Feeling very protective, Tavi went to the replicator and brought  Skyler a 
mug of sweet hot tea.  "You're very tired," she  observed.

"What makes you think I am tired?" Taking the tea Skyler took a  sip and 
smiled. "This is quite good. You are getting better with the  replicator's 
aren't 
you?" She wasn't sure how to go about telling Tavi about her  talk with Moreya 
yet she knew she had to as they had no secrets.

"Oh, you  just have to tell the replicator exactly what you want," said Tavi. 
 "It  gets easier when you know what to ask for."  She sat down on  the 
hassock footstool that was becoming her favorite seat in this  room.  "I know 
you 
are tired.  You look tired, and you sound  tired."

"I am tired but it's a good tired. Not a sleepy tired. I had a  long talk 
with Moreya and.....well, it was very emotional. I asked her if  she would take 
my place if anything ever happened to me. So she has agreed to be  your 
godmother. I hope you will give her a chance and get to know her. She  is a 
really 
good person." Oh Moreya I can still feel you holding me.If only  it could be 
different.

"What's a godmother?" Tavi wanted to  know.

"What is a godmother? Well....a godmother is someone who is willing  and 
wants to look after someone special. If anything were to ever happen to  me, 
she 
would take care of you, just as I would. She is someone who knows  how
much you mean to me and is willing to make sure you are alright.  She can 
also be a good friend to you as well."

"I don't want  anything bad to happen to you," said Tavi.  But she knew 
Moreya would  take good care of her if it became necessary.

"I don't want anything bad  to happen to me either. It's a just in case sort 
of thing. Remember when  you said you could tell I had feelings for Moreya? 
Well, I told her how I  felt. That's part of why I am tired. It took a lot
out of me to tell  her. I was afraid I would lose her friendship and that 
would not be good.  She is very important to me and I want the two of you to 
get 
to know each  other better."

She didn't realize how tired she was. Telling Moreya had  taken a lot more 
out of her than she realized. She was however, glad it was  out in the open. 
She 
was confused by Moreya's response and didn't know what  to think about
it. She also had to think about Tery.

Tavi looked  Skyler over appraisingly.  Without a word, she took up a 
decorative  throw blanket and spread it gently over Skyler where she sat. Then 
the 
girl  sat back down on her hassock.

"Thanks. Do I look that bad that I need a  blanket like an old lady? You take 
such good care of me. I don't know what  I would do without you." Smiling 
Skyler patted the seat beside her. "Come  sit with me."

Moving over to the sofa, Tavi said, "If you're tired, you  might need a 
blanket for napping."

"That is true but unfortunately I  don't have time for a nap. I just needed 
to spend sometime with my best  friend. With my family. So what did you think 
of the bridge and all that  was going on?" Tavi surprised her a little more
each day.

"I  would like to see what happens," Tavi responded honestly.  "I  kinda 
wanted to go over there.  I know it's dangerous.  But  nobody knows that ship 
the 
way I do."  Privately, she thought the  Engineer would -- but he was
gone, so that only left her.

"Tell ya  what I'm gonna do. Once the marines have cleared the looters and 
deemed it  safe, and if you have been good maybe......maybe I can arrange for 
you to  go back over with the next away team. After all you do know the best 
hiding  places. What do you think?"

"I think I coulda helped the marines," Tavi  said.  She tried to pout, but it 
came out a giggle.

"You think  you coulda helped out the big muscled marines? The ones with the 
big guns?  I saw how you looked at Captain Phillips when he talked to you 
about those  lessons." Reaching over she grabbed Tavi and tickled her some
more. She  needed the sound of laughter.


Squirming, Tavi tried to explain,  "They're too big to get into the hiding 
places."  It took a huge  effort not to squeal when Skyler tickled her.

"You probably could've fit  better 'cause you're scrawny. We got to work on 
getting some meat on those  bones. But that doesn't explain why you turned red 
when the captain talked  to you? You got the hots for him and you're not
telling me?" Skyler kept a  good hold on the squirming child.

"Because he knows why I want to protect  myself."

Looking puzzled for a moment Skyler didn't know what to say. "I  didn't tell 
him why did you?"

Tavi shook her head.  "You didn't  tell him?"  Without waiting for an answer, 
she went on, "When he said  that, when he looked at me, it was like he knew. 
Or he could guess real  good.  And it made me feel all funny, like people
shouldn't  know."

"Nope, I didn't tell him. Just told him you wanted to learn how to  protect 
yourself so no one would hurt you. He doesn't need to know the  details. That 
is between you and me kiddo. Besides once you learn these  lessons you can
teach me. Can't have you beating up on me now can we?" Skyler  started 
tickling Tavi again, and wrapping her up in the blanket.

It  was too serious a subject for Tavi to respond much to being tickled.   
She let Skyler roll her into the blanket.

Noting the sudden quiet  coming from the blanket, she unwrapped it and looked 
at Tavi in the eyes.  "What's wrong? Did I do or say something wrong? No one 
is going to hurt  you. I told you that and I meant it.   Talk to me  Tavi.
Please....

"I know," Tavi said softly.  "It's just, I don't  think it's right for people 
to know.  It makes me feel funny about  what they might think about me."

"Nobody is going to find out from  me. I promise you that. If anyone says 
anything bad about you they will  have to answer to me. You have nothing to be 
ashamed off little one. You have  done nothing wrong. I am very proud of
you. You managed to come out of  a bad situation and turn it around into a 
good thing. At least I hope we  are a good thing....you and me."

Tavi nodded, only her head sticking out  of the blanket Skyler had rolled her 
in.  "I'm thinking a family is a  good thing," she said, solemnly and 
thoughtfully.  "Better than a  gang, for sure."


"A family is a good thing.  You've been  thinking about this haven't you? You 
do believe that I wouldn't tell anyone  why you want the lessons don't you?" 
Looking at the head peeking out from  the blanket Skyler smiled.

"Oh, I believe you."  The girl wriggled  out of the blanket and sat 
cross-legged on the sofa, looking up at Skyler  with wide dark eyes.  "I can 
usually 
tell when people are lying.  It's  useful."

"That's good to know. Now for another question for you. How do  you feel 
about having Moreya as your godmother? Or me meeting someone and  having them 
join 
our little family we have going here?"  I hope you  are in favor of  having 
Tery and Moreya in your life....

"If it  makes you happy -- and they don't hate me or anything -- then  
another person would make it more of a family, wouldn't it?" said Tavi,  still 
slowly and thoughtfully.  "And I like Moreya all right.  I think  she's kind 
of... 
well, she doesn't show all of herself to people right  away.  She makes you 
get to know her."

Smiling Skyler looked at  the girl in front of her. She was sounding more 
adult like every moment. I  wouldn't let anyone hurt or hate you. You are very 
observant about Moreya.  It  is part of her being a Deltan. If she doesn't 
control certain  aspects of herself things could happen to her or others around 
her. It is  part of her species. Which is what makes her so special. What else 
do 
you feel  or sense about  Moreya?" I am really interested in what you think  
little one....

Tavi shrugged.  "I dunno, I'd have to be around her  more and thinking about 
it," she said.

"Well, I know she would like  to get to know you better. She wants the two of 
you to become friends. Do  you think that is something  you would be 
interested in? Hey, while  you are sitting there how about getting me a drink
from the replicator. Just  don't make it something icky like blood wine  or 
something."

Giggling, Tavi took Skyler's forgotten and now-cold  mug of tea to recycle, 
and got a fresh one from the replicator, a long with  a plate of cookies 
labeled 'tea cakes' on the menu.  Bringing them to  Skyler, she went back for a 
glass of milk for herself.  "It is good to  have friends," she said cautiously 
as 
she sat back down.

Looking at  the mug she looked at Tavi. "And this is what....? I have an 
idea. Since we  have some time how about I call Moreya and see if she would 
want 
to come  down and join us in this conversation? After all she is part of
this  subject."

"Didn't you leave her in charge on the Bridge?"  It was an  honest question, 
but half-scolding.  Tavi drank some of her milk and  snitched a cookie from 
Skyler's plate.

"Sometimes I think you are  too smart for your own good. Yes I did leave her 
in charge of the bridge  but I think someone else can watch the view screen 
for awhile. Hey, you  just snitched my cookie you little turkey. You want me
to call her or you  want to call her yourself?"

"You can," Tavi mumbled through a mouthful of  cookie.  She was not the least 
bit concerned about the cookie  snitching.  There were plenty more on the 
plate, and she could always  get more from the replicator.

Laughing at Tavi's mumbling   Skyler pressed her comm badge. Lt. Moreya, this 
is Captain Skyler could you  please join me in my quarters for a moment?"

"Acknowledged."  Moreya  handed off formal command of the bridge and moved 
quickly to the  lift.

"Okay Miss Cookie Snitcher she is on her way. Are you going to  offer her 
some cookies or are you going to eat them all?"

"I'll get  more," said Tavi, and hopped up to do so. "Does Moreya like tea?" 
she  asked, taking a much larger platter of cookies from the replicator  slot.


"Yes she likes tea. And I am sure she will just love your  cookies. No one 
bakes like you."

Giggle.  "Then it's a  good thing we have replicators," Tavi said 
emphatically.  "I don't  know how to bake at all!  Though there's a couple 
engineers who 
were  talking about how to bake something inside the outer reactor  shielding. 
 I didn't pay much attention, though.  I think they  were joking."

Just then, the chime of the outer door sounded.

"Oh  lordy that's all I need. People cooking inside the engines. I  certainly 
hope they were joking. Can you imagine  what the ship would  smell like? 
Eww... I think she is here." Untangling herself from the couch  Skyler got up 
and 
answered the door. "Come in Moreya."

Moreya  stepped in, smiling.  "Hello Skyler.  Hello Tavi."

Tavi  blushed.  "Hi."

"I don't know about you Tavi. You've been blushing a  lot today. Hello Moreya 
we were just talking about you and thought you  might like to join us. I told 
Tavi here about you agreeing to be her  Godmother."

"I certainly hope you are okay with the idea," Moreya said,  looking to Tavi. 
 "If there is anything I can do, or tell you about myself,  I'd be happy to 
do that."

Skyler looked at Tavi and wondered what  was going through her mind. "Would 
you like some tea and cookies Moreya?  Tavi is the baker today."

"Why thank you, that sounds wonderful." Moreya  dropped to the floor in a 
fluid, graceful motion, tucking her feet  underneath herself.

Getting up Skyler walked into the kitchen area and  retrieved the pot of tea 
Tavi had "cooked" along with the cookies. She  handed a cup to Moreya trying 
not to be overly conscious of her  feelings for the woman.

Tavi shrugged, smiling shyly.  She could  think of lots of questions, but it 
would be better to wait until another  time.

Moreya reached up for it.  "Anytime, my dear."

Looking  at Tavi Skyler nudged her. "I thought you wanted to get to know 
Moreya  better? Ask your questions she won't bite you."

"I know," said Tavi, with  a little giggle."I will ask.  I want to think 
about what I'm asking so  it makes sense,is all.  Not just ask the first thing 
I 
think  of."

"That's fair enough," Moreya said.

Looking at Tavi, Skyler  commented, "Well while you are thinking I will ask 
something. I don't  suppose there has been any news from the away team?"

"Nothing yet,  although it hasn't been long enough to start worrying yet, I 
should think,"  Moreya replied.

Tavi yawned, and covered it with both hands.  "I'm  sorry," she apologized. 
"May I be excused, please?"  It was really  already past her bedtime, and it 
had been a long day.  If she rested  now, she could be  awake when they heard
from the Marines.

"Any  time you would like to talk, you know how to find me," Moreya said. 
"And  thank you for the tea and cookies."

"Yes you may. After all you did do a  lot today, not considering your cooking 
skills. Should I tuck you  in?"

"I'm fine."  Tavi blushed again.  She liked to have Skyler  tuck her in, but 
it wasn't really necessary, and she thought the adults  might like to have 
time alone together anyway.  

"Okay then, you go to bed and I will check on you later gator. Sleep  well. 
But I get my hug before you go."  Bouncing up out of her seat,  Tavi gave 
Skyler a big hug before trotting off to her room.

"I'm  sorry Moreya. She really did want to talk to you. I don't know what 
goes  through her head sometimes."

"She is a child," Moreya said with a  shrug.  "It's hard enough for we adults 
to know what we want and how  to get it, and we've had many more years to 
figure it out."

Sighing  Skyler looked at her friend. "I suppose. I know I am still trying to 
figure  things out. I still don't know if I am doing the right thing for her. 
She  says she is happy but...maybe I am second guessing myself again  as 
usual."

"That could be.  It is difficult to simply accept  that you are doing the 
best you can do at any given moment ... then, just  let what will happen, 
happen."

"I just want her to have a good life.  She deserves it after everything she 
has been through. I just keep  wondering if I am the one to give her that life. 
Am I doing the right thing  Moreya?"

"Yes," Moreya said simply.

"How can you be so  sure?"

"Despite your worries, you are happy.  And so is she.   She is safe and well 
cared for with someone she can trust.  I can see  this clearly."

Hesitating for a moment Skyler spoke softly. "She does  make me happy in a 
way I never thought I would be. I don't quite understand  it. I just hope 
bringing someone else into the picture doesn't ruin it. She  says it won't." 
Getting 
up Skyler refilled her cup and returned to her  seat.

"I hope not as well.  I don't see any reason to think that it  will.  I can 
tell you how to improve your chances of making things a  success, however."

"How is that my friend?" I need all the help I  can get she thought to 
herself.

"When you think about something,  especially a particular outcome, the more 
you think about that outcome, the  more energy you put into it, the more likely 
that outcome is to  happen.  In other words, the more you worry about
something bad  happening, the more likely is that it will happen. Do  you 
follow?"


Contemplating her friends words for a moment Skyler  looked pensive. "So you 
are saying the more I worry about something the  more it is bound to happen? 
Is that what you mean?" Thinking to herself  Skyler thought, I do tend to
worry about things more than I should, but I  don't see how that is going to 
make something happen. But then again  perhaps she is correct and my worrying 
over something so much could ruin it  altogether.

"Yes, that's it exactly.  I believe the human phrase for  it is 
'self-fulfilling prophecy.'  It does sound more magical than  anything else, 
but in my 
experience it has very often proved true.  In  any case, worrying about things 
that you have no control over does  neither yourself nor anyone else any good."

"I suppose you are  right.....since you usually are. I suppose I just want to 
make sure I am  doing the right thing by Tavi and anyone else involved. This 
is the first  good thing that has happened to me in a very long time. Other 
than you that  is. I don't want to ruin it. Which is what I am so afraid of 
doing. You  know my history Moreya, you know that somewhere along the way I am 
going to  mess something up. It never fails."

"I know no such thing, dear  Skyler.  I do know that you have made mistakes. 
But we all do.   It is the price we pay for sentience and free will.  But you 
have  always done things with a good and sincere heart.  Trust in that  -- 
trust in yourself -- and all will be well."

"Trusting in myself  is not always as easy as it sounds. Although I am 
trying. Knowing you  believe in me helps a great deal. Thank you for that. 
Sometimes 
I wonder  how I got along without you Moreya? You will always be apart of 
this  family. I hope you realize that. No matter what happens with anyone else, 
 
you will always be in this family. That is if you want to put up with  us....

"Nothing would please me more, dear friend." Moreya's smile was  wide and 
warm.

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