<USS Avalon> log

Fairy Tales and Folk Lore
By: Caine Reilly McKensley

Caine watched as Hannah ignored all the other children.  She sat at the one 
table by herself, drawing a picture and talking to one of her imaginary 
friends.  This was becoming more and more unhealthy; the child talked to no 
one, not even her father.  Caine was the only one Hannah would talk to and even 
then it wasn?t much.  She had tried talking to the little girls that Hannah 
used to play with, but they weren?t much help, they just said that Hannah 
suddenly started acting weird.  

After standing and watching Hannah?s behavior, Caine walked over to her and sat 
down at one of the chairs there.  ?Hello Gerda, what are you drawing?? she 
asked in a kind, soft voice.

Hannah smiled at Caine, she really liked her, and she was so nice and very 
pretty.  ?I?m drawing the Snow Queen.  She has my sweetheart didn?t you know?? 
Hannah nodded and went on with her story.  ?That?s right; she bewitched him and 
stole him from me.  I?m going to have to go save Kay from her now.?  Caine 
looked over at Hannah?s drawing.  It was really quite good but the woman looked 
strangely familiar.  

Caine stood up and looked over Hannah?s shoulder at the picture.  ?Gerda, this 
woman looks very familiar.  Who is she really??

?She?s the snow queen, nothing else,? Hannah?s voice raised a bit in defense 
and she moved the paper anyway from Caine.  

Caine was about to try to talk to Hannah again, when she saw Jeffreyi walk in.  
Looking back down at Hannah, Caine moved over to the Lieutenant.  ?Hello sir,? 
Caine nodded to him as she spoke.  ?I think I might be getting somewhere, but 
I?m not completely sure.?  Jeffreyi nodded encourage meant for her to continue. 
 ?You said that this all started about a month after your wife?s death and that 
at the time, Hannah used you as the evil step mother or wicked witch correct??  
Jeffreyi had a pained expression on his face but nodded in consent of what 
Caine had said.  ?Well, I have noticed, in the past few weeks, her attitude 
towards you has improved a small bit, which is great, but I have also noticed 
that there is a familiar face that keeps appearing in her drawings.?  Caine 
removed a drawing the Hannah had done earlier and handed it to Jeffreyi.  

He took it from her and looked down at it.  The shocked expression on his face 
told Caine what she needed to know, this was a real woman, and some one both 
Jeffreyi and Hannah knew.  ?May I ask who she is?? Caine asked softly.

Jeffreyi looked up at her; surprise which as slowly turning to despair on his 
face.  ?She?s my wife,? his voice was low and slightly heart broken.  ?It?s 
Jen, Hannah?s mother and my love.?  

Caine placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  ?I think I know the root of 
this problem with Hannah.?  Caine waited till she had his full attention, 
before continuing.  ?I?m starting to believe that this is Hannah?s way of 
dealing with your wife?s death.  She has shut herself into a fantasy world 
where she knows the outcome is good and she will ?live happily ever after?.  In 
this fantasy world, she already knows the outcome of the character?s life that 
she is acting out because either you or someone else has read it to her and 
told her.?  Jeffreyi looked at her, she could see on his face it was starting 
to make some sense.  ?When your wife died, Hannah?s world was throwing upside 
down; it didn?t seem to have a happy ending, so she entered the world of 
make-believe.  I believe the reason she was at first attributing the evil 
person?s role to you, is because she secretly blamed you for Jen?s death, 
though it was not your fault and I don?t want you thinking it was.  But since 
then, I believe the Hannah has stopped blaming you and begun to place the blame 
for all of this on Jen herself.  This is very common to happen with people who 
have lost a close loved one.  I believe that if we let Hannah act out these 
fantasies, she will be able to fully deal with the lose of her mother and that 
she will be able to live a normal, healthy life.?  

Jeffreyi stood there staring at Caine.  It was all beginning to make sense to 
him now.  ?I believe I understand.  Do you wish for me to just let Hannah 
continue playing in her own world then??

Caine looked back at the little girl, ?yes and no.  I believe we should let her 
continue to play in imaginary world, but start to get her out of it.  Don?t 
give in so much to what ever character she is playing.  Call her Hannah and 
nothing, and if she pitches a fit, don?t give her a snake or make her go to bed 
early.  Start to sort of wean her out of this, but slowly, we don?t want it to 
come around and bite us in the butts.?

Jeffreyi nodded.  ?I see what you mean and I like your idea on how to get 
Hannah to stop.  I believe I will start on doing it tonight.  I want her to 
still come to you though, she seems to have taken a liking to you and I believe 
you have been a great help to us both.  Thank you counselor.?  

Caine blushed slightly, ?I?m only doing my job as best as I can sir, and yes, I 
still want to see Hannah, we should keep up the same routine that we have, to 
change it too drastically might be detrimental to what we are trying to 
achieve.?

?I agree,? Jeffreyi looked at his watch.  ?It?s time for dinner.  Gerda, come 
on, time to go get some dinner,? Hannah looked up at him and nodded and began 
to pack up her belongings.  Turning to Caine, he asked, ?Would you care to join 
us for dinner??

Chewing on her bottom lip slightly, Caine thought about that, ?Thank you, but 
no.  I still have a lot of work to catch up on.  Maybe another time though.?  
Jeffreyi nodded and told her that anytime she wanted, she was more then 
welcomed to eat with them, then him and Hannah left.  

Caine looked around the room, at all the other children briefly, before turning 
and walking out herself, it hurt her to be near children and to know her 
herself and lost one once.  Deciding that her thoughts were too heavy for work, 
she decided to go and work out some more on the holodeck, and hopefully clear 
her mind.


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