<USS Avalon> "Kippers and Vanilla Shakes" Skyler and Melanie Redgrave

"Kippers and Vanilla Shakes"
Skyler and Melanie Redgrave
 
After her very frustrating conversation with the  strange ship, Skyler was at 
loose ends. She had to go check on Melanie. At least  she could do that much. 
Taking her phaser with her, she beamed herself from the  shuttle to Melanie's 
quarter's and hoped she didn't scare the hell out of her. 
 
"I'm in the  bedroom, Skyler." Melanie called out as soon as the hum of the 
transporter faded  away. Opening her eyes, Melanie sat up in bed, and yawned a 
little.  

"How'd you know it was me?" Walking  to the replicator Skyler made two 
glasses of tea and then made her way to the  bedroom. Handing one of the 
glasses to 
Mel she asked, "Are you okay? I heard  about the mess in Forensics' and then 
when I tried to reach you mentally I  couldn't and got scared." 

"Your the only one who'd beam into my cabin." Melanie replied as she  took 
the glass of tea. "And yes, I'm fine. A little high blood pressure from the  
stress, but nothing more." 

Sitting on the bed next to Sunni,  she had to laugh. "Am I that predictable 
or just rude?" She took a good look at  Sunni and her medical background took 
over. "You should have your feet propped  up, blood pressure is nothing to 
scoff about. You need to watch it."  

Melanie laughed. "Predictable, you  and Georgia were the only two how hadn't 
come to check on me yet, and since  Georgia doesn't have that kinda clearance 
it had to be you." She sipped her tea  and settled back into her pillows. 
"We're fine, Skyler. It would appear that  your niece likes a little excitement 
from time to time." 

Taking some  pillows she placed them under Sunni's feet. She then put her arm 
around her  sister and pulled her close. "I don't know what I would do if 
anything happened  to either of you. I just got you and don't want to lose you 
again." Skyler  leaned her head against Sunni's and closed her eyes. 

Melanie smiled as she snuggled into Skyler a  little. "So since your here, I 
take it all is well?" 
 
Skyler didn't say  anything for a while. She just wanted to savor the moment 
since they were so few  and far between. "From what I hear the intruder's have 
been contained. I tried  to contact the ship that is just outside and got 
absolutely no where with their  XO. I suppose that when Keith feels ready to 
tell 
me what is going on he will,  in the mean time you are stuck with me." With 
Sunni snuggled in Skyler could  reach her back and began to rub it gently 
hoping to take any aches away. "What's  this about my  niece liking excitement?"

A bright smile  lit up Melanie's face. "After V got me calmed down, we were 
sitting in my office  talking, and once I was relaxed Grace decided to let us 
know she was there  too." 

"She what?"
 Melanie laughed. "I felt her move,  Skyler. Well, more then just move, she 
kicked." 

"Oh God, not  another one!" 


"Not  another what?" Asked Melanie as she looked over at Skyler. 

Skyler just rested her head back and smiled. "Another kicker. I can  remember 
Momma putting my hand on her belly and feeling you kick. At the time I  
thought you hated me you kicked so hard. Momma just laughed and said that you  
were 
just over active." 

Melanie laughed. "I am not over active." She was so glad to see that  Skyler 
was speaking with so much more ease about the time before she'd been lost  to 
her. "And Grace isn't big enough yet to kick hard. It's more like a wee  
thump." 

Taking her free hand she placed it on Sunni's belly just like she  had their 
mother's. It felt natural, like something she should do. "And yes you  are 
over active. I would be lost if anything happened to either of you. You know  
that don't you? I would rather die than allow anything to happen to you." A  
small tear started to fall down her face. 


"Nothings going to happen to us, Skyler." Melanie reassured her  sister 
softly. 

"Come here I  need to hold you." She held her arms open for Sunni to scoot 
closer. "So, have  you definitely decided on Grace for a name?"  


Melanie nodded. "Elijah made up my mine this afternoon." She  replied. "He 
said that she was his saving grace." 

Skyler didn't say anything when Eli's name was brought up. He had  been 
neglecting his fiance and baby and that pissed Skyler off. "That's a nice  
name." 

"Grace Lunette." Melanie sighed  with a small smile. 

"Lunette?" 


Her  smile grew a little brighter. "Little Moon." 

"Little Moon." Skyler smiled. "I like it. Thank  you."  


"Now  we have the Sky and the stars, the sun and the moon." Melanie nodded. 
She liked  it too. She only wished she could talk to their mother once again so 
she could  tell her. 

"I wish I  could talk to her as well." Pulling Sunni closer she kissed the 
top of her head  and held her tight. "I miss her." Skyler was having trouble 
fighting the tears  back.  


Melanie decided to let this one time pass as she listened to the  longing in 
Skyler's voice. "She knows you do." 

"You really  think she knows? I feel bad for not having done a lot of things 
since she died.  I shut myself down for a very long time. It was safer. Now I 
don't know if it  was the right decision. I just don't know Sunni. I lost 
everything. You, Momma,  everything important."  

"You still had  Mother." Melanie replied. "Even if you didn't know it."

"That's just it, I didn't know it. I should've  visited their graves more, 
kept the estate up if nothing else to keep their  memories alive. Tell me about 
your Mum. Please?"  

"What do you want to know about her?" Melanie  asked.

"Everything.  What your life was like growing up, how she feels about you 
being in Starfleet,  how she feels about you finding me, all of it."

Melanie  laughed. "We've talked about some of it, Skyler. You know I grew up 
with a bit  of a silver spoon in mouth.  Why don't you ask me questions and 
I'll answer  them."


"What were you like growing up as a kid? Probably all prim and  proper 
right?"  


Melanie shook her head. "I loved football, watching it, playing it.  It was 
best played in the mud." She laughed. "Mum tried to balance that out with  
girlie stuff though. charm school, dance classes, but for the most part she let 
 
me do what I enjoyed."

"You went to charm school? I wish I could have seen that. I know  that your 
Mum knows about me, but what exactly have you told her?" Skyler still  had her 
hand on Sunni's belly and was holding her close.  

"What your like, that your very  protective, that you love me, that you 
remember more and more." Melanie replied.  "She can't wait to meet you." 

"What I remember is based on certain triggers.  I'm not so sure she will 
approve of me, just as you aren't overly thrilled with  finding Mia in my 
quarter's. You have to admit you weren't. I hope she doesn't  think I want 
anything 
from her or you for that matter, as in money or anything.  Georgia and I are 
doing just fine." You idiot, where the hell did that come  from? Now she'll 
think 
you are a gold digger or something like that. "I  don't know where that came 
from so just ignore it." 

"Skyler, your my sister there's a  difference between you and me and me 
finding Mia." Melanie sighed. "And I didn't  say I disliked her. I don't know 
her." 

"Do you want  to get to know her? I have a feeling she may be sticking 
around. At least if I  have anything to say or do about it. I don't know why I 
am  
rambling?"


Melanie laughed again. "Sure I'd like to get to know her. She must  mean 
something to you. Your smiling.

Pausing before saying anything Skyler looked down at her sister,  "Yeah, I 
think she means something to me. I'm just not sure how she feels.  Hopefully 
once this mission is over we can figure it out. I'm tired of going  back to 
empty 
quarters. Were you scared when you first started seeing  Eli?" 


Melanie shook her head. "Not until it dawned on me I was falling in  love 
with him." 

"How did you  know you were falling in love with him? I have spent so much 
time alone or shut  down that I'm not sure how I feel? Stupid huh?"   


"No,  it's not stupid." Melanie replied as she tried to find a new 
comfortable  position. "It's not easy to explaining either. I didn't know I was 
falling 
until  I hit it like a brick wall. Then I just knew that it has always kinda 
been  there." 

"I hope I end  up as happy as you are with Eli, although I will leave the 
child bearing to you.  Can I get you something? More pillows, tea anything?"  

"Kippers."  Melanie replied as she sat up more. "I'd love some  kippers." 

Looking  strangely at her Skyler got up and went to the replicator and got 
some Kippers,  whatever they were. Walking back into the bedroom she handed 
them 
to Sunni. "One  plate of kippers Ma'am. Anything else?" 


Melanie took the plate of kippered herring and smiled. "A vanilla  shake." 

Shaking her head Skyler smirked,  "Anything else while I am getting your 
shake?" 
Melanie shook her  head. "Nope."
 
"You  sure?"


Melanie picked a piece of the fish off her plate and popped it in  her mouth 
as she nodded. 

Walking out  Skyler thought, How on earth can she eat that...that what ever 
it is? Reaching the kitchen area again, she replicated two vanilla shakes. She  
placed a towel over her arm and walked back to the bedroom with the shakes. 
"If  it pleases M'lady, I have your shake for you. Where shall I place it?"  

Melanie  rolled her eyes and took the shake. She then dipped a one of kipper 
pieces into  it and ate it. 

"Gross, how  can you eat that? It looks almost as bad as Gagh." Skyler 
shivered as she  watched Sunni eat the bizarre combination of  food.

"I'll have you know kippers are an English  staple." Melanie huffed as she 
ate another shake covered piece of fish. 
 
 "What ever you say M'lady." Skyler sat on the bed  with her back to Sunni. 
"I have a question for you and if you say no, you won't  hurt my feelings."
 
Melanie  set her food aside and looked at her sister with her head titled.  
"Ok." 

"I don't want to go back to empty quarter's tonight. Can I stay  here? I will 
sleep on the couch and I won't even bother you. For some reason I  just feel 
this need to be near you. I know it makes no sense but I usually  don't." 


Melanie smiled. "I'd like that. After what happened today I don't  wanna be 
alone either."

"Just tell me where to find some sheets and I will make my self a  bed on the 
couch and then we will get you settled in bed." If only she  weren't 
pregnant, then we could sleep in the same bed as we did when she was  
little.....before I lost her.  

"In the closet."  Melanie replied. 

Looking  through the closet Skyler found a sheet and blanket, along with an 
extra pillow.  She took them into the living area and made up the couch as best 
she could.  Heading back into the bedroom she asked Sunni, "Is there anything 
you need  before I go lay down and you get some much needed  sleep?"


"My  bears?" She asked as she pointed to two teddy bears sitting on the 
dresser. "I  think I'd like to give them to the baby."  


Looking at the bears, one was well worn and Skyler knew it well. As  for the 
other she couldn't remember where it came from. "I think that would be a  good 
idea. Passing something of yours down to your baby. Anything  else?"  

"A save Eli?" Melanie asked softly then sighed. 


Sitting on the side of the bed she looked at her very pregnant  sister, "I'm 
sure Eli is fine. If you want me to look into it later I will. But  right now 
you are half asleep." Skyler pulled the covers up over her sister,  made sure 
her feet were propped up on the pillows. "Now is there anything else  before I 
hit the couch?"  


"No,  I'm good." Melanie replied as she snuggled. "Goodnight Skyler. I love  
you." 

Skyler leaned  down and kissed Sunni's forehead. "Night brat. I love you 
too." She walked out  into the living area and made herself as comfortable as 
possible on the couch.  "Computer dim lights"

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