DS9 - The Spinning Wheel [5/5]
Mar. 21st, 2014 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seikilosTitle: Like I Have Nothing To Hide
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Action
Rating & Warnings: PG-13 (slight dubcon, hairpulling)
Betas: tinsnip and Yosie
Words: This part 2280, 15 500 overall
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Summary: When Miles returns from a wartime engineering course, Keiko is glad to have him safe at home again--but soon she realises that all is not well. Now she must gather evidence while protecting her family and without letting on that she knows something is wrong. This chapter: Resolution.
Author's Notes: And here we are at the end! Thank you to everyone for reading along with me--this is one of the projects I'm most proud of, so I'm glad I was able to share it with you. Thank you again, too, to my wonderful betas, tinsnip and Yosie! You two are the best. <3
I look forward to seeing all of you the next time! <3
(5)
The door to their quarters chimed partway through the afternoon. She had been wrestling with making the replicator produce doll clothes at the time; the unexpected sound made her jump and nearly drop one of Molly's dolls. Once again, she stifled her urge to ask who the visitor was and instead called out as cheerfully as she could, "Come in."
When Captain Sisko himself walked through the door, she thrust the doll into her daughter's hands and stumbled to her feet. "Captain, what a surprise! I'm sorry about the mess." She gestured at where tiny pieces of clothing old and new were mingled with baby toys all over the living room. "I would have tidied up if I'd known you were coming."
The Captain smiled. "It's all right. I had a little child myself, once. A long, long time ago."
He crouched down to bring himself to Molly's level. Suddenly shy in the presence of someone so important, she hid behind Keiko's leg.
"Hello, Molly," the Captain said warmly. "How are you doing today?"
"Good," Molly mumbled into Keiko's pants.
The Captain wasn't bothered by the lack of response. Instead, he glanced at Yoshi, who was lying on his back on a blanket and making soft sounds to himself, then back to Molly. "And how's your baby brother?"
"He's good."
"That's good."
With a soft grunt, Captain Sisko sat down the rest of the way. Feeling awkward looming over the station's commanding officer, Keiko joined him. As she did, Molly pressed against her and stuck a finger in a lock of her hair to begin twisting it.
"Now, Molly, I have some news for you and your mother," the Captain began. He caught Keiko's eye for just a moment, and then focused completely on her daughter. "Your father has been called away on a very important mission."
Keiko covered her mouth as her heart began to pound and beat inside her head.
"He'll be going with Major Kira—with Nerys, and with Commander Worf and Commander Dax. We're not quite sure yet when they'll be back, but we're hoping it will be soon."
She was shaking. She curled her fingers into fists in an attempt to stop, but the force of her hope was far too great. The Changeling had been caught—that had to be what he meant, it had to. Miles was going to be found and then he was coming home!
"How soon?" Molly asked, a frown on her little face.
"Very soon." Captain Sisko smiled again. "There's no need to worry—your father has Nerys and Worf and Dax to keep him from getting into trouble. Do you think that's enough?"
In spite of herself, a giggle escaped her daughter. "Maybe."
The Captain pretended surprise. "Maybe? Do you think I should send someone else?"
"You should send Julian," Molly told him.
Keiko laughed too loudly, unable to help herself. "I think sending Julian would get Daddy in more trouble, honey, not less." She kissed the top of Molly's head, then hugged her close.
"Hmm. I'll take it under advisement. Now, Molly" —the Captain got to his feet— "if you could keep an eye on Yoshi for one minute, I need to talk to your mother outside. How does that sound?"
As the Captain had clearly known, Molly puffed up with pride in the responsibility she had been given. "That sounds good, Captain!"
"All right. I'm counting on you."
He offered a hand to Keiko; though it felt strange, she took it and rose as well. He let go as soon as she was up and gestured at the door. "If you don't mind . . . ?"
"Not at all. Molly, come get us if Yoshi needs something, okay?" she added.
"I will."
As she stepped outside, she glimpsed Molly scooting over to plunk herself protectively beside her baby brother. The sight lightened her heart still further, making her feel nothing less than weightless.
Once the door to their quarters closed, Captain Sisko glanced about. When he was certain they wouldn't be overheard, he said quietly, "We caught the Changeling late this morning. He's in a stasis field in the infirmary. Major Kira and Commanders Dax and Worf have taken the Defiant and have gone to look for the Chief, as I told Molly. Based on the information we have, I'm hoping we'll have him back on the station in no more than three days."
Keiko's knees went loose and she hurriedly pressed a hand against the wall to support herself. Captain Sisko stepped forward to catch her, but she kept herself upright.
"You know where he is?" she asked, and she made her voice be steady.
The Captain was watching her carefully now. "We have a good idea. In the meantime, we're keeping the situation quiet until it's resolved, to avoid spreading unnecessary panic."
"I understand." She gave him a half-smile. "It's hard when your husband gets called away on a mission so soon after he returned from an off-station conference, but I'll manage."
He smiled back, the expression brilliant. "I knew I could count on you." But then it faded, and, voice low, he added, "Keiko, I'm going to recommend to Starfleet that you receive the highest civilian honours possible. If you hadn't noticed that Chief O'Brien had been replaced when you did, we all would have been in a lot of trouble."
"Do you know what he was trying to do?" And for that matter. . . . "Can you tell me?"
He hesitated. ". . . Let's just say that no one on this station would have been happy."
She nodded, accepting as much. With the little she knew about what had nearly happened the last time, the Captain's implications were more than enough information for her. She was probably happier not knowing.
"I should be going." He straightened up, still holding her gaze. "If there's anything you need over the next while, anything at all, don't hesitate to let me know. We all owe you a very great deal."
She felt her face warm and her chin dropped—now Molly wasn't the only one feeling shy. "Thank you, Captain, but I'll be fine. Just knowing that you're looking for Miles is more than enough."
"All right. But tell me if you change your mind." She looked up; he added, "Have a good afternoon, Keiko."
"You as well, Captain."
Once he'd departed, she stepped back into their quarters. She had no time to think about how empty her home was going to feel with both Miles and Nerys gone for now—the sight of Molly shaking a rattle for a gurgling Yoshi was the best distraction imaginable.
She'd make it. The hard part was over now. All she needed to do was wait.
*
Two days later, just as she was putting Molly to bed, Keiko received a hail on her computer.
"Sisko to Professor O'Brien."
She dropped the storypadd beside Molly's bed and ran, nearly colliding with the slow-opening bedroom door, leaping over an abandoned art project, and shoving her computer chair out of the way.
The words leapt out of her: "Keiko here, sir!"
The Captain's voice was rich with happiness as he said, "Keiko, if I were you, I'd gather up my family and head down to Docking Port Three as soon as possible."
While he'd been speaking, she had gasped, then covered her mouth. Now, through shaking fingers, she managed, "We're on our way," and cut off the connection.
Molly was quite happy to postpone bedtime, particularly when Keiko explained why. She hopped out of bed with Lupi in her arms and headed straight for the door to wait. Keiko spent barely a moment trying to persuade her to go put on her day clothes before giving up and going to slip a sleeping Yoshi into his sling. A little girl in her pajamas wouldn't register as strange on DS9, and maybe it would get her back into bed faster once . . . once Miles was home.
Her breath caught and she nearly laughed. He was here, he really was here, and as soon as they reached Docking Port Three, they were all going to be together again.
WithYoshi settled against her, Keiko took Molly by the hand and they fairly ran through the corridors. If she hadn't had her son to worry about, she would have actually picked up Molly and sprinted. Instead, she needed to slow herself to what Molly's small legs were capable of. She tried not to be frustrated, then tried not to let her frustration show. She didn't want to wait a minute more to see Miles—she wanted the first thing he saw when he stepped onto the station to be his family. If only they could move faster . . . !
Even restricted as they were by Molly's slow pace, they still beat the Defiant to the docking port. As they waited, Keiko rocked and jiggled Yoshi in his sling and assured Molly over and over that Daddy was coming, he'd be here soon, he was coming, he was coming—
"He's here!" Molly squealed and ran forward, and Keiko had to steady herself against the wall.
Her first sight of her husband was very different from that day a week ago when she'd thought she had him back. There was no crowd for him to navigate, only Nerys and Commander Worf exiting the Defiant ahead of him. He didn't look irritable and cramped after too much shuttle travel. Instead, he looked—pale. Not only in terms of the colour of his skin, but, somehow, his body seemed washed out. He was exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with mere overexertion. She hadn't seen him like this since he'd begun his recovery from the horrific punishment inflicted by the Argrathi, and for a moment, the blending of memory and the certain knowledge of what he had been through this week was too much for her to bear.
Too much, until Miles' face lit with a beautiful smile. He scooped Molly up in his arms with a cry of, "There's my girl!" and Keiko gasped with the force of her relief.
At that moment, Yoshi—cranky from being woken so soon into his sleep—began to wail. The moment he did, Miles looked up.
It was as if she'd been flung back eight years, to that dizzying time when infatuation had been steadily growing into love, when meeting Miles' eyes alone had been enough to make her breath hitch. Their separations in recent years and her disrupted pregnancy had been hard on them, and so had Miles' transfer to DS9 in the first place, and why had she ever let anything affect their marriage?
She felt the weight in her sling shift, the only thing that could have distracted her from the sight of her husband. Nerys was lifting Yoshi into her arms, shushing him and allowing her to do what she'd been dreaming of since she'd discovered Miles' kidnapping.
She strode forward, leaned around where Molly was still fastened to Miles' leg, and swept her arms around him.
And then, without warning, she began to shake, full-body shudders that were impossible to hide.
She immediately tried to still herself, but she might as well have been trying to stop Bajor from turning. Her relief was simply too much to be contained.
Miles hugged her tight against him, and it was wonderful and still not enough to make her stop. She pressed her face against his neck, breathed in, squeezed him back just as tightly for support and out of nothing less than joy.
"What's wrong?" she heard Molly ask. Her little voice was trembling; Keiko instantly raised her head.
"It's all right, sweetheart," Miles reassured Molly. His voice was thick and she loved him for it. "Mommy is just fine. She just missed me so much and is glad to see me. . . . The, the same way I'm glad to see all of you."
"I'm okay, sweetie, it's all right," she added with a breathy laugh, then met Miles' eyes straight on. "But you are n-never allowed to leave the station again!"
All he had time to get out was, "I'm not sure I—" before she was kissing him, and kissing him hard. The last shard of doubt fell away when he kissed her back just as fiercely. He really was home.
She couldn't believe he was stopping so soon when his lips broke from hers, but then she realised that Commander Dax was saying kindly, "You know, the rest of us would like to disembark, too." They were still standing in the door.
Redfaced, laughing and still shaking a little, she and Miles moved to one side to let the rest of the Defiant's crew pass. They clung to one another and Molly, and Miles only freed an arm when Nerys passed a quieted Yoshi for him to hold.
Keiko watched as Miles tenderly greeted their son. She could see the dark circles beneath his eyes, and while it might have been her imagination, she thought there might be a few more lines marking his face. He had probably wondered if he would ever see any of them again and almost certainly whatever he had gone through would have triggered his PTSD. He had a lot of difficult recovery work ahead of him.
But he also had his family with him. And after nearly losing him yet again, Keiko had been reminded of one of the deepest truths of her life:
She loved him, Miles Edward O'Brien, beyond any words. And she would do anything to protect him and keep their family safe.
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Action
Rating & Warnings: PG-13 (slight dubcon, hairpulling)
Betas: tinsnip and Yosie
Words: This part 2280, 15 500 overall
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Summary: When Miles returns from a wartime engineering course, Keiko is glad to have him safe at home again--but soon she realises that all is not well. Now she must gather evidence while protecting her family and without letting on that she knows something is wrong. This chapter: Resolution.
Author's Notes: And here we are at the end! Thank you to everyone for reading along with me--this is one of the projects I'm most proud of, so I'm glad I was able to share it with you. Thank you again, too, to my wonderful betas, tinsnip and Yosie! You two are the best. <3
I look forward to seeing all of you the next time! <3
Hiding in the place in my heart
This part that I know by heart forever
Will you ever notice?
The door to their quarters chimed partway through the afternoon. She had been wrestling with making the replicator produce doll clothes at the time; the unexpected sound made her jump and nearly drop one of Molly's dolls. Once again, she stifled her urge to ask who the visitor was and instead called out as cheerfully as she could, "Come in."
When Captain Sisko himself walked through the door, she thrust the doll into her daughter's hands and stumbled to her feet. "Captain, what a surprise! I'm sorry about the mess." She gestured at where tiny pieces of clothing old and new were mingled with baby toys all over the living room. "I would have tidied up if I'd known you were coming."
The Captain smiled. "It's all right. I had a little child myself, once. A long, long time ago."
He crouched down to bring himself to Molly's level. Suddenly shy in the presence of someone so important, she hid behind Keiko's leg.
"Hello, Molly," the Captain said warmly. "How are you doing today?"
"Good," Molly mumbled into Keiko's pants.
The Captain wasn't bothered by the lack of response. Instead, he glanced at Yoshi, who was lying on his back on a blanket and making soft sounds to himself, then back to Molly. "And how's your baby brother?"
"He's good."
"That's good."
With a soft grunt, Captain Sisko sat down the rest of the way. Feeling awkward looming over the station's commanding officer, Keiko joined him. As she did, Molly pressed against her and stuck a finger in a lock of her hair to begin twisting it.
"Now, Molly, I have some news for you and your mother," the Captain began. He caught Keiko's eye for just a moment, and then focused completely on her daughter. "Your father has been called away on a very important mission."
Keiko covered her mouth as her heart began to pound and beat inside her head.
"He'll be going with Major Kira—with Nerys, and with Commander Worf and Commander Dax. We're not quite sure yet when they'll be back, but we're hoping it will be soon."
She was shaking. She curled her fingers into fists in an attempt to stop, but the force of her hope was far too great. The Changeling had been caught—that had to be what he meant, it had to. Miles was going to be found and then he was coming home!
"How soon?" Molly asked, a frown on her little face.
"Very soon." Captain Sisko smiled again. "There's no need to worry—your father has Nerys and Worf and Dax to keep him from getting into trouble. Do you think that's enough?"
In spite of herself, a giggle escaped her daughter. "Maybe."
The Captain pretended surprise. "Maybe? Do you think I should send someone else?"
"You should send Julian," Molly told him.
Keiko laughed too loudly, unable to help herself. "I think sending Julian would get Daddy in more trouble, honey, not less." She kissed the top of Molly's head, then hugged her close.
"Hmm. I'll take it under advisement. Now, Molly" —the Captain got to his feet— "if you could keep an eye on Yoshi for one minute, I need to talk to your mother outside. How does that sound?"
As the Captain had clearly known, Molly puffed up with pride in the responsibility she had been given. "That sounds good, Captain!"
"All right. I'm counting on you."
He offered a hand to Keiko; though it felt strange, she took it and rose as well. He let go as soon as she was up and gestured at the door. "If you don't mind . . . ?"
"Not at all. Molly, come get us if Yoshi needs something, okay?" she added.
"I will."
As she stepped outside, she glimpsed Molly scooting over to plunk herself protectively beside her baby brother. The sight lightened her heart still further, making her feel nothing less than weightless.
Once the door to their quarters closed, Captain Sisko glanced about. When he was certain they wouldn't be overheard, he said quietly, "We caught the Changeling late this morning. He's in a stasis field in the infirmary. Major Kira and Commanders Dax and Worf have taken the Defiant and have gone to look for the Chief, as I told Molly. Based on the information we have, I'm hoping we'll have him back on the station in no more than three days."
Keiko's knees went loose and she hurriedly pressed a hand against the wall to support herself. Captain Sisko stepped forward to catch her, but she kept herself upright.
"You know where he is?" she asked, and she made her voice be steady.
The Captain was watching her carefully now. "We have a good idea. In the meantime, we're keeping the situation quiet until it's resolved, to avoid spreading unnecessary panic."
"I understand." She gave him a half-smile. "It's hard when your husband gets called away on a mission so soon after he returned from an off-station conference, but I'll manage."
He smiled back, the expression brilliant. "I knew I could count on you." But then it faded, and, voice low, he added, "Keiko, I'm going to recommend to Starfleet that you receive the highest civilian honours possible. If you hadn't noticed that Chief O'Brien had been replaced when you did, we all would have been in a lot of trouble."
"Do you know what he was trying to do?" And for that matter. . . . "Can you tell me?"
He hesitated. ". . . Let's just say that no one on this station would have been happy."
She nodded, accepting as much. With the little she knew about what had nearly happened the last time, the Captain's implications were more than enough information for her. She was probably happier not knowing.
"I should be going." He straightened up, still holding her gaze. "If there's anything you need over the next while, anything at all, don't hesitate to let me know. We all owe you a very great deal."
She felt her face warm and her chin dropped—now Molly wasn't the only one feeling shy. "Thank you, Captain, but I'll be fine. Just knowing that you're looking for Miles is more than enough."
"All right. But tell me if you change your mind." She looked up; he added, "Have a good afternoon, Keiko."
"You as well, Captain."
Once he'd departed, she stepped back into their quarters. She had no time to think about how empty her home was going to feel with both Miles and Nerys gone for now—the sight of Molly shaking a rattle for a gurgling Yoshi was the best distraction imaginable.
She'd make it. The hard part was over now. All she needed to do was wait.
Two days later, just as she was putting Molly to bed, Keiko received a hail on her computer.
"Sisko to Professor O'Brien."
She dropped the storypadd beside Molly's bed and ran, nearly colliding with the slow-opening bedroom door, leaping over an abandoned art project, and shoving her computer chair out of the way.
The words leapt out of her: "Keiko here, sir!"
The Captain's voice was rich with happiness as he said, "Keiko, if I were you, I'd gather up my family and head down to Docking Port Three as soon as possible."
While he'd been speaking, she had gasped, then covered her mouth. Now, through shaking fingers, she managed, "We're on our way," and cut off the connection.
Molly was quite happy to postpone bedtime, particularly when Keiko explained why. She hopped out of bed with Lupi in her arms and headed straight for the door to wait. Keiko spent barely a moment trying to persuade her to go put on her day clothes before giving up and going to slip a sleeping Yoshi into his sling. A little girl in her pajamas wouldn't register as strange on DS9, and maybe it would get her back into bed faster once . . . once Miles was home.
Her breath caught and she nearly laughed. He was here, he really was here, and as soon as they reached Docking Port Three, they were all going to be together again.
WithYoshi settled against her, Keiko took Molly by the hand and they fairly ran through the corridors. If she hadn't had her son to worry about, she would have actually picked up Molly and sprinted. Instead, she needed to slow herself to what Molly's small legs were capable of. She tried not to be frustrated, then tried not to let her frustration show. She didn't want to wait a minute more to see Miles—she wanted the first thing he saw when he stepped onto the station to be his family. If only they could move faster . . . !
Even restricted as they were by Molly's slow pace, they still beat the Defiant to the docking port. As they waited, Keiko rocked and jiggled Yoshi in his sling and assured Molly over and over that Daddy was coming, he'd be here soon, he was coming, he was coming—
"He's here!" Molly squealed and ran forward, and Keiko had to steady herself against the wall.
Her first sight of her husband was very different from that day a week ago when she'd thought she had him back. There was no crowd for him to navigate, only Nerys and Commander Worf exiting the Defiant ahead of him. He didn't look irritable and cramped after too much shuttle travel. Instead, he looked—pale. Not only in terms of the colour of his skin, but, somehow, his body seemed washed out. He was exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with mere overexertion. She hadn't seen him like this since he'd begun his recovery from the horrific punishment inflicted by the Argrathi, and for a moment, the blending of memory and the certain knowledge of what he had been through this week was too much for her to bear.
Too much, until Miles' face lit with a beautiful smile. He scooped Molly up in his arms with a cry of, "There's my girl!" and Keiko gasped with the force of her relief.
At that moment, Yoshi—cranky from being woken so soon into his sleep—began to wail. The moment he did, Miles looked up.
It was as if she'd been flung back eight years, to that dizzying time when infatuation had been steadily growing into love, when meeting Miles' eyes alone had been enough to make her breath hitch. Their separations in recent years and her disrupted pregnancy had been hard on them, and so had Miles' transfer to DS9 in the first place, and why had she ever let anything affect their marriage?
She felt the weight in her sling shift, the only thing that could have distracted her from the sight of her husband. Nerys was lifting Yoshi into her arms, shushing him and allowing her to do what she'd been dreaming of since she'd discovered Miles' kidnapping.
She strode forward, leaned around where Molly was still fastened to Miles' leg, and swept her arms around him.
And then, without warning, she began to shake, full-body shudders that were impossible to hide.
She immediately tried to still herself, but she might as well have been trying to stop Bajor from turning. Her relief was simply too much to be contained.
Miles hugged her tight against him, and it was wonderful and still not enough to make her stop. She pressed her face against his neck, breathed in, squeezed him back just as tightly for support and out of nothing less than joy.
"What's wrong?" she heard Molly ask. Her little voice was trembling; Keiko instantly raised her head.
"It's all right, sweetheart," Miles reassured Molly. His voice was thick and she loved him for it. "Mommy is just fine. She just missed me so much and is glad to see me. . . . The, the same way I'm glad to see all of you."
"I'm okay, sweetie, it's all right," she added with a breathy laugh, then met Miles' eyes straight on. "But you are n-never allowed to leave the station again!"
All he had time to get out was, "I'm not sure I—" before she was kissing him, and kissing him hard. The last shard of doubt fell away when he kissed her back just as fiercely. He really was home.
She couldn't believe he was stopping so soon when his lips broke from hers, but then she realised that Commander Dax was saying kindly, "You know, the rest of us would like to disembark, too." They were still standing in the door.
Redfaced, laughing and still shaking a little, she and Miles moved to one side to let the rest of the Defiant's crew pass. They clung to one another and Molly, and Miles only freed an arm when Nerys passed a quieted Yoshi for him to hold.
Keiko watched as Miles tenderly greeted their son. She could see the dark circles beneath his eyes, and while it might have been her imagination, she thought there might be a few more lines marking his face. He had probably wondered if he would ever see any of them again and almost certainly whatever he had gone through would have triggered his PTSD. He had a lot of difficult recovery work ahead of him.
But he also had his family with him. And after nearly losing him yet again, Keiko had been reminded of one of the deepest truths of her life:
She loved him, Miles Edward O'Brien, beyond any words. And she would do anything to protect him and keep their family safe.
