<USS Avalon> Finding the Child

Finding the Child

Caine left the bridge, stumbling slightly.  Her body and mind were exhausted 
and the only thing she wanted to do was to curl up in her bed and forget all 
that had happened.  Only she couldn?t, she had to find Hannah and get away from 
Javan for sometime; he had to know that she knew, he wasn?t stupid and he could 
read her mind.  Caine had to think about how she was going to handle this new 
knowledge but right now, all Caine could worry about was Hannah.

She ran down the corridor, headed towards Jeffreyi?s quarters.  Before they had 
been boarded and forced to fight for their lives, Caine had talked with him and 
together they had developed a plan of action for Hannah.  Now Caine was happy 
they had agreed on the plan because she knew where to find the precious little 
girl.

The door to Jeffreyi and Hannah?s quarters was open but it was silent inside. 
Pulling out her phaser, Caine cautiously moved into the main room.  The lights 
were on but she didn?t see anyone, just a complete mess.  It looked as though 
someone had torn the place apart, which most likely what happened, Caine just 
didn?t know why this future federation would do that.

There was no noises coming from anywhere in the living quarters and Cain could 
only hope that Hannah was alive and in her hiding place.  Walking slowly and 
quietly, stepping over the mess on the floor, she made it over to Jeffreyi?s 
bedroom door.  Taking a deep breath, Caine opened the bedroom door and entered 
it quickly, her phaser out in front of her.

Caine looked around and immediately felt sick.  Lying in front of her on the 
floor was Jeffreyi?s dead body.  It looked like he had been shot multiple times 
but Caine moved closer, hoping that he wasn?t truly dead and that she could do 
something to help him out.  As she got closer, Caine noticed a small body 
curled up next to him.  Her heart jumped into her throat, choking her, as soon 
as Caine realized that is was Hannah.

Forgetting about caution, Caine dropped her phaser by the door and ran to the 
two bodies.  ?Oh my god, no, no,? she said as she pulled the little girl?s body 
into her arms and pulled her close.  Moving the hair, that was once blonde but 
now caked with blood, away from the child?s face, Caine sighed in relief at 
seeing color on Hannah?s cheeks.  Lower her head, Caine heard Hannah?s slow 
breathing and could feel her pulse in her neck.  With small tears of joy, Caine 
just hugged Hannah to her chest, so happy that the child was alive.  

Hannah stirred in her sleep and the suddenly awoke, screaming at the top of her 
lungs.  Caine held the little girl and tried to calm her down.  ?Hannah, Hannah 
it?s me.  Oh come on baby girl, please stop crying, it?s over now, it?s over.?  

Recognizing Caine?s musical voice, Hannah quit fighting the arms holding her 
and instead curled up into them, tears streaming down her face.  ?My dad,? she 
said in mumbles, making it hard for Caine to hear her but Caine knew what the 
child was asking.

?I?m sorry sweetie, your daddy has gone to join your mommy,? Caine said, 
feeling herself choking up at the knowledge of the pain that this precious 
angel in her arms had to deal with.  Cradling the small, crying child in her 
arms, Caine stood up with her and began to move out of the bedroom.  It was no 
place for a child, much less the child of the dead man.

With as much ease as her tired body could muster, Caine carried Hannah away 
from her quarters to Caine?s quarters.  She figured that it would be a safe 
enough place for the girl to stay until everything was figured out.

Caine walked into her quarters, happy to see it had not been messed with and 
moved to the bathroom.  She set Hannah down on the sink top and moved to the 
shower.  Pulling off her tattered uniform shirt to reveal a tight black tank 
top, Caine reached into the shower and turned it on warm water.  She moved back 
in front of Hannah.  ?Come on Sweetie, why don?t we get you out of this dirty 
dress.?  

With the gentleness that is usually found in mothers, Caine helped Hannah take 
off her blood stained clothes and helped Hannah into the shower.  There she let 
the water just run and wash off any of the blood from Jeffreyi that it could.  
After some time, Caine grabbed a wash clothe and bar of soap, and began to wash 
the dirt and blood off of Hannah?s skin and out of her hair.  It wasn?t too 
long until Caine had Hannah perfectly clean.  

Caine grabbed a big fluffy white towel from a cabinet and wrapped it around 
Hannah?s small frame.  Picking up the girl and cradling the small body against 
her chest, she moved back into her bed room and sat Hannah down on the bed.  

The little girl had said nothing for a while and Caine was beginning to get 
very worried.  She did not want her to regress back to her fairy tale world but 
wasn?t sure how to counsel the young child just yet or the lost of her father.  
But Caine would have to worry about that later, right now she need to get 
Hannah comfortable and get back up to the bridge.  Grabbing one of her own 
t-shirts out of one of her draws, Caine put it on Hannah, who was instantly 
engulfed by the shirt that was too large, even for its owner.  

Hannah yawned and looked up at Caine with deep, sad eyes that spoke of 
innocence lost.  With her heart breaking, Caine sat down next to Hannah and 
pulled the child into her lap.  At that point, both woman and child broke down 
and tears streamed from their eyes, soaking each other.  It didn?t take long 
though, till Hannah to fall into an exhausted sleep.

Caine didn?t want to leave her alone, but she knew her duty to her ship and she 
had to return to the bridge.  Pulling back the covers, Caine laid Hannah down, 
tucking her in.  With a light kiss to the child?s forehead, Caine turned and 
walked out of the room.

She quickly cleaned her wound as best as she could and bandaged it temporarily. 
 Not bothering with a shower, Caine washed her hands and face, trying to look 
as presentable as she could for the new comers of this future world who seemed 
to want to help them.  

Grabbing a new, clean uniform shirt, Caine threw it on as she left her quarters 
and the sleeping child behind her.  There was so much hurt and pain and so much 
Caine felt she could be doing and more but she knew there was already more on 
her plate then she could handle at the moment.  Trying to take deep breaths and 
calm her heart and soul, Caine sent a prayer up to whatever might be out that, 
for the safety and protection of Hannah as well as the rest of the crew.


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