<USS Avalon> "Off to a Better Start"

Off to a Better Start
Commander Skyler and Elijah Dareth
 
 
Elijah didn't even stop back at home to change clothes, but went straight to 
Skyler's office when he finished work.  He hoped that this evening would go 
better than the previous encounter.  Depressing the chime, he waited for an 
answer, once again leaning against the wall.  

Skyler had been going over a pile of PADD's left my her yeoman when she heard 
the door chime. "Enter." She couldn't remember if she had any scheduled 
appointments or not.

Not knowing whether to be formal or informal, Elijah hoped for the best and 
wanted to set the tone for the whole evening.  He couldn't take a mix of 
commander/subordinate and brother/sister-in-law.  He could play either game but 
it had to be one or the other.  "Good evening, Commander," he said with a 
smile, not standing to attention or saluting.  Middle ground.  Polite, but not 
too formal.

"Ah, good evening Lt. I had almost forgotten about our meeting. I want to 
apologize for my behavior earlier today. It was inappropriate and I should not 
have acted as I did. I'm sure Melanie has told you all kinds of things about 
me, some of which may be true, others may not be. Can I get you something to 
drink?"

Much better, he thought.  "Well, if this is unofficial, please call me Elijah 
and I'd love some Sheridac punch.  Mel doesn't like me drinking it.  She says 
it's too sugary and stuff for kids."  He laughed, "She doesn't realize that I 
am just a kid."

"One Sheridac punch coming up." Walking over to the replicator Skyler picked up 
on Eli's comment of his being a kid. Interesting...slip of the tongue 
perhaps....

Skyler handed Eli his punch and sat down in one of her more comfortable chairs. 
"Why do you say you are just a kid, especially when you are expecting a child? 
I don't understand."

"It was a joke.  A lot of people tease about men being overgrown children..." 
he looked at her to gauge whether or not she got it.  "Nevermind.  Sorry.  I 
have an odd sense of humor I'm told."

"Humor is not a bad thing to have, sometimes I wish I had more of it. I have 
had to spend too much of my life being serious. Especially after the death of 
our parents and what I thought was the loss of my sister. You will have to be 
patient with me if I sound over protective. I do not want to lose what I have 
just recently found. I hope you can understand that."

"I do understand that, Skyler," Elijah said, looking at her very seriously.  "I 
don't know you but I know several people who do, and who love you and that's 
important to me because it's important to them."

"I don't want to intrude on yours and Melanie's life, I just want to make sure 
that you are going to take very good care of her and of this baby. I would hope 
in time that we can get to know each other better, but your first priority is 
to Melanie. All I ask is that you treat her with kindness, love, and support. 
She is going to need that from you more so than anyone else. I will admit I am 
still trying to adjust to having a sister, and now one who is pregnant and 
getting married. It is something I never thought I would see happen. Especially 
when I thought she was dead."

Skyler paused to gather her thoughts. "I am not going to sit here and 
interrogate you as to your intentions. I am sure they are honorable. I just 
hope that at some point you will feel comfortable enough to allow me to be 
apart of your lives."

Elijah shook his head.  "We already consider you part of our lives.  That's why 
I feel like I know you.  And I was just telling Poppet that if you didn't 
believe us, we'd show you."  He blushed a bit at the nickname for the baby and 
the fact he admitted talking to her.

Skyler wasn't sure what to say. "I am glad to hear you feel that way, even 
though I am sure Melanie has told you that I have a tendency to over step my 
boundaries. I am trying my best not to do that with either of you. I will miss 
not spending as much time with her as I had before she met you, but that is a 
part of life. A part I am trying to deal with. I am not going to keep you here 
any longer than necessary, so unless you have any questions or comments for me, 
you are free to go with my blessing."

"No, I just want you to know that you're welcome in our lives, Skyler.  And if 
you're not doing anything, why don't you come on over for a while and have tea 
with Mel?  I'm about 'tea'ed out," he chuckled.

Smiling Skyler replied, "I think I would like that. Thank you."


                
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