[ussbansheec] "Gathering"

"Gathering"

Talibah smiled when she saw Jada and her daughter come down the road to 
Vincent's house.  "I knew if I waited long enough someone would come," she 
laughed, springing to her feet.

Noah smiled as he walked along side Jada. His love had been so worried about 
her mother, and frankly so had he. They knew that they couldn't ease all of 
Talibah's worries and grief, but they were hoping that having her youngest 
daughter and first grandchild close would at least make it a little easier.

"Who's that, zaagi'?" Vincent asked as he stood up from the fire place.  If he 
was cold then she had to be, too.  People were always coming by if they knew he 
was home.  He loved it but he was certainly glad they'd managed to pick up all 
their clothes first. 

"Jada," she called brightly.  Opening the door, Talibah flew out to her 
daughter and the small child she carried.

"Ri'nanov!" Jada beamed as her mother wrapped her in her arms.  "Missed you."

It was good to see light in the older woman's eyes again. That was one of the 
things Noah remembered about her from when he was very small, a deep burning 
light in dark eyes. 

Vincent grinned as he watched her embrace her daughter.  It was the same sort 
of greeting his children gave him when they came over or when he went to them.  
He waited in the door way, giving them a moment's privacy.

Arm in arm, the two women made their way back to the house.  "You remember 
Vincent, Jada?"

"Of course!  It's wonderful to see you again, Uncle Vincent."  Placing a gentle 
kiss on the older man's cheek, Jada smiled when Ealasaid started to shift in 
her arms.  "I think she wants to say hello too.  Say jolan'tru, Ealasaid," she 
cooed as she lifted the baby up to blink at the old man.

"Aaniin, little one," Vincent said with a smile for the baby as he took hold of 
her.  "She's beautiful, Jada.  Come, come inside, all of you.  It's much warmer 
with the fire place on."

Ealasaid stared up at the new man.  He smelled a little like Grey Wolf and 
Nightwalker.  Grabbing for his fingers, she held them tightly and stared harder.

"She's strong for such a little one." Noah beamed as he watched his daughter. 
"She's going to be quite the woman just like the other women of her family, 
aren't you Little Bear?"

"Yeah, I've t'agree with you there," Vincent said a bit shyly as he slid his 
arm around Talibah.  "Fine specimens of womanhood."  It was probably only 
obvious to himself and Talibah but he didn't care.  He was happy with her and 
their new understanding.

Jada peered at her mother with a question in her eyes but a smile turning up 
her lips.  "Not so much an Uncle now?" she asked Vincent.

"I hope you don't mind," Vincent said easily enough, though he really wanted 
her to not mind.  It mattered to him. Bad enough Joseph had an axe to grind 
against him and that it couldn't be worked on just yet....

"Of course I don't mind!" Jada laughed brightly, slipping away from her mother 
to give Vincent a hug.  "It's wonderful.  Someone to finally take care of the 
old woman."

"Old," Talibah huffed.  "Watch it, little io, I'm still young enough to swat 
you."


He couldn't help it, Noah snickered.

"Swat you too, young man," Talibah warned Noah, her laughter suppressed but 
dancing in her eyes.


Noah laughed as he enveloped the woman in his arms. "Been there done that."

"Ahh, boy, I've missed you too," Talibah said softly as she hugged her soon to 
be son-in-law tightly.  "Are you coming with us to the station?"

"Yes ma'am we are." Noah answered as he let her go. "Hawk and Tab have a niece 
to meet."

Vincent's smile warmed even further with Jada's pronouncement.  After all, his 
children and Talibah's had known each other for most of their lives.  Her hug 
was like the icing on a cake.  "Talibah,  are you going t'warn Matthew at all?"

The older Romulan snorted and shook her head.  "Na, I think we'll descend upon 
him en-mass as a surprise.  You know how much he loves surprises," she laughed 
deeply.

Jada smirked.  "Oh yes, the last time you surprised him, he sulked for a week."

The house had been his alone since Aaya had moved out on her own ten years 
before but evidence of a family and children lay about the living room.  Unlike 
his bedroom, which had been his alone for twenty years, this was an inviting 
room for all to share.  Vincent took a seta on the sofa, still holding the baby.

"Now, look at you--going to be so well traveled at so young an age," he said, 
talking directly to Ealasaid.  "They will certainly be happy to see you."

Jada beamed as the older man played with her daughter.  "A new hru'dinanov," 
she grinned.

The baby stared at the warm smelling man.  She frowned as she reached out one 
hand to curl her fingers through his hair.  He had nice hair, it was soft and 
strong.  Still frowning, she tugged at it.

"Now what's this you're up to, makoons?" Vincent asked.  It definitely didn't 
hurt and he offered Jada and Noah a grin.  "All the little nooshenh do this.  
You'd think I'd know better to tie by hair back by now."  He chucked the baby 
under her chin.  "What's the matter, makoons?  Testing your strength are you?"

"She always frowns," Jada sighed, settling herself next to Vincent.  "For 
someone so very young, she takes the world so seriously."

Ealasaid tugged harder, staring from her hands to the warm one's face and back. 
 He had a soft voice, she definitely liked his voice.  It was deep and strong.  
She turned to frown at her mother, reaching one hand toward her, the fingers 
opening and closing.

"The old man says that when she is older she will be even strong in the night 
then he is." Noah said softly as he sat in a near by chair close to his family 
on the couch. "It has Jada a little worried."

"Y'know, son, it isn't going t'matter how old she gets.  My oldest is forty-two 
and I still worry about him. Best you can do is arm this little makoons with 
everything you can while you can," Vincent told the younger man.  "My first 
piece of advice for you, lil bit," he said to the baby, looking her in the eyes 
again, "is don't be like Ray and let some nutcase Romulan point a gun at you 
before you're even twelve.  Bad idea, very bad idea."

He grinned at Talibah.  It was how he met one of her brothers.  It was funny 
now,or interesting, in any case.

"Why don't you explain that one, e'lev?" Talibah said.

"Did your Uncle Eisnas tell you how he came to live in Aspen Falls and why he 
left ch'Rihan, Jada?" Vincent asked.

Jada nodded slowly.  "He just said he saved a boy's life.  He doesn't really 
talk about it much."

"That boy was Ray.  We were on station then and the ship Eisnas was on was 
doing the espionage trick.  Ray sorta stumbled upon him and rather than follow 
the orders of the Tal'Shiar officer and kill him, Eisnas killed the officer 
instead.  He couldn't kill a child.  His CO agreed with him but he also 
couldn't allow him to stay without being punished.  He was banished from all 
that he knew for being merciful," Vincent explained.  It still shook him when 
he thought about it.  He could have lost his boy and his own life.  "I arranged 
for him to be taken into the safe house program."

Jada bit her lip and looked at her Ri'nanov speculatively.  "Is that why you 
love Ri'nanov?"

"No, Jada, it's why I love your uncle and why he's still my friend," Vincent 
told her.  He reached to squeeze Talibah's hand.  "Your mother and I have been 
friends for a very long time.  She was my wife's friend and your father was 
mine.  I love your mother because she makes me live.  My lady protector."

Noah smiled at his aunt and nodded his head a bit. "That suits her."

Talibah huffed, folding her arms tightly around her.  "Matthew called me wolf, 
Vincent calls me protector.  One day, I may actually grow into those titles."


"But wolves are protective." Noah replied with a bright smile. "You, Uncle, 
Mom, the wolf is who you are."

"You already have, Talibah,"  Vincent said with a wink as he tapped her nose.  
"But would  Gwanaaj make you happier?"

Jada knew her mother was more at ease with Vincent's language than she was so 
she had to ask.  "Gwanaaj?"

"Beautiful," Vincent said simply.

This time Noah's smile was only for Jada. "Like mother like daughter."

Both women blushed bright emerald, carefully avoiding each other's eyes.  "Like 
granddaughter.  Ealasaid will be quite lovely," Talibah said softly.

"This ought to be an interesting trip," Vincent said with a chuckle.  

"When do we leave?" Noah asked with a chuckle.

"Now, if you're ready," he replied.  With a slight snort of amusement, he said, 
"No depot either , straight up to the ship."

"It's nearly time for Little Bear to eat." Noah said softly. "We will be 
afterwards. Will the ol' man be joining us?"

Vincent bit back a snort but he still managed a smirk any way. "Boy, I know you 
don't mean me," he said with a chuckle.  "Nightwalker, now...I know that elder 
knows where this house is.  D'you speak to 'im, Talibah?"

"Na, e'lev, I couldn't get hold of him," Talibah said softly.  "He will turn 
up."

"Doesn't he always." Noah laughed.

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