Reunited

Lt. Vevay Davis and Crewman Newlyn Davis

The nurse had frowned at Vevay and told her to go and get some sleep. 'You can't hold vigil over the baby all the time,' she'd admonished. So Vevay had sighed and agreed to let them take care of Grace while she went to get some rest. Laying back on the bed she'd always thought she'd share with Mel, she couldn't shake the fear that she wouldn't again. What if that hotshot doctor wasn't as hot as she made out? What if Melanie wasn't alright? What if... Her raging thoughts froze when the chime for the temporary quarters cut through them like a laser scalpel. Blinking a few times, she rolled off the bed and padded through.

Leaning against the door frame, she breathed in and out several times before pressing for the door to open. The door was suddenly filled by a tall, wide shouldered, well-built man. With the lights from the hallway behind him, Vevay gasped at the all-too-familiar figure. She took several stumbling steps backwards then made a sudden dive for her phaser, pointing it at the man she'd prayed never to meet again: her father.

"Get out or I'll kill you!" she whispered harshly.

The man stayed where he was, his arms away from his body, his stance open. "Sis?" came a small, confused voice.

Oh God but she knew that voice. "Computer, lights to full!" she called out. In a blaze, she was blinded for a second so kept her phaser on him. When she could see, she stared at the man, her eyes seeking out confirmation as to who it was. "Newlyn?"

He nodded but still stayed where he was, frozen with his eyes on her weapon. "I... I missed you," he said lamely.

"Oh Newlyn," she sighed, lowering her gun and dropping it on the table. "Come in, I'm so sorry!"

The man who'd only really been a boy when she'd left took small, tentative steps toward her then lost the battle and finally picked her up to spin her around and cuddle her tightly. Pulling back, he offered her a lopsided grin. "You look like shit," he mused with a chuckle.

"Gee, I really missed you, squirt," she laughed, hugging him tightly. Her amusement lasted a few minutes longer then fizzled away to leave her just as exhausted as before. "I really have," she whispered as she relaxed in his arms.

Setting his head on hers, he rested her on her feet and simply held her. "And you really do look like crap, big sis. What's happened?"

"Despite being disturbed and scared out of my mind by someone who looks too much like Daddy, you mean?" she snorted. "I'm in love, baby boy. She's wonderful, I'm spending the rest of my life with her but I'm petrified she's dying."

It took Newlyn several moments to get past her thinking he was their father. "She?" he asked finally, peering down at her with hurt still in his eyes.

"Melanie," Vevay nodded. "She's amazing." She didn't see the hurt or confusion in her brother's eyes as she explained all about Mel and how they'd grown to love each other. Finally she told him about Grace, about the birth being difficult and her now in the medical unit unconscious. "I've got this little life depending on me and I'm scared to death because all I keep thinking is that the only role models I've got are Mom and Dad."

"You're nothing like them!" he huffed loudly. "And neither am I. We're totally different, we've carved ourselves to be better than they are, stronger and more loving."

She felt his hands on her cheeks and she lifted her eyes to glance into his soft greens. "I'm never going to raise a hand to her, I swear. I don't think I could handle my wife and child being afraid of me." At the sudden smirk followed by a chuckle from her brother, Vevay poked him and frowned. "What's that look for?"

"Just trying to get my head around you with a woman is all," he said with almost a giggle. When his sister thumped his arm, he pouted and batted his puppy eyes at her. "Don't be mean. I thought you didn't want people to be afraid of you," he teased then doubled over when Vevay started tickling him. "Hey! No fair! I'm the guest, remember?"

Pushing at him, she got him to slump onto a chair then giggled when he pulled her onto his lap. "Anyways, how did you find me?"

"Oooo, um, it was sooo hard," he said, trying to control his laughter. "Looked up your service record, found where you were serving then happy chance had me reporting to the Cairngorm from here."

"The Cairngorm?" she asked as she snuggled against her brother.

"It's a Defiant class that's just been given a refit. Some hotshot Admiral looking to zoom all over the Galaxy in style," he told her. "As I am too, it's kinda perfect. Captain's a Tryne Van der Pol with a Deltan as an XO."

"Ooo, I've heard of her, she's got a hell of a service jacket. Read it before you sign on," she said with a nod.

"Already have, sis, don't worry so much," he chuckled. "She's been around for quite a while, all her kids are in the Fleet and her husband's an Admiral. How cool is that? Wouldn't it have been cool to've come from a family like that?"

Vevay shrugged one shoulder. "Dunno, I guess our parents shaped us to be what we are. If I hadn't survived that, I don't know if I'd be this strong."

Newlyn stroked his sister's back but he could still feel the long, knotted scars even beneath her thick uniform. "Yeah, because being beaten to within an inch of your life is exactly how to make your kids strong," he snarled then instantly regretted it when he felt her flinch in his arms. "Oh V, I didn't mean..." He sighed when she slid to the floor and padded away. "V, I'm sorry."

She gave him a shrug as she made as if she was going to the replicator. "It's fine. My choice, right?"

Sighing again, he got up to follow her then hugged her tightly. "He was so much worse when you left, like nothing me or Mom did could ever be good enough," he said in a small voice. "He'd never... V, I never understood until you left. He hadn't raised more than a whack for me until then."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Guilt made her heart heavy as she peered up at him. In a tiny voice, she asked, "And Mom?"

"Is safe," he assured her. "Maggie's got her where Dad can't find her or touch her ever again." He started rubbing her back then sighed once more as he stepped back and pulled his shirt over his head. His chest was a matted pattern of scars that mimicked Vevay's but as he turned, Vevay let out a pained gasp to see the mass of knots there.

"Baby boy, I'm so sorry. I did this," she gulped as she lifted her hand to stroke his back. "God, Newlyn, this is all my fault."

"No," he said firmly. "This is Dad's fault. He couldn't keep his anger in check, his temper, so he took it out on us. He was a screw up so he tried to make us ones too. Well now you know," he said gruffly as he reached for his shirt. A gentle hand stopped him and Vevay wrapped her arms around him.

"My little brother," she whispered softly. "I've missed you so much. How long before you ship out?"

"Couple of weeks," he said with a smile. "That mean I get to meet this beautiful woman of yours?"

The sadness and fear filled her eyes again and she clung to him tighter. "If she lives," she whispered as she felt herself start to cry.

"Always the optimist," he chuckled even as he lifted her up and headed to the bedroom. He laid her on the bed gently then covered her up and tucked her in. "But you still look like shit, big sis, so time for sleep. Okay?"

"Be here when I wake up," she murmured as she scrubbed at her eyes.

"No one and nothing could drag me away." He stroked her cheek until she drifted to sleep then carefully eased off the bed and padded into the main room. Settling himself behind a computer terminal, he quietly returned to his study of his new ship and crew.