Getting by with a Little Help From My Friends

Posted on Wed Nov 1st, 2023 @ 4:08am by Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor

Mission: Season 6: Episode 3: Far From Home
Location: Quarters
Timeline: After Lia returns home
3213 words - 6.4 OF Standard Post Measure

With Lia now home, Alicia made her way to Lia and Gary’s Quarters to see how Lia was settling in. After her time in the brig Alicia had no doubt Lia just wanted to forget and get on with her life, but she would have to talk about it sooner or later. Pausing out by the door she pressed the chime and waited.

Hearing the chime, Gary who had been sitting on the couch got up to answer it. Opening the door, he smiled at the sight of Alicia standing there. "Hello Alicia, please come in." He said standing aside for Alicia to enter the cabin.

“Thank you Gary” Alicia smiled warmly remembering not to use Sir or Commander this time. “I hope I’m not catching you at an awkward time, I thought I’d stop by and see how Lia is settling in.”

Sitting in her bedroom, Lia heard Alicia's arrival. *First Savar when I was locked up, now another bloody shrink.* The thought burned in her brain, *The Princess didn't waste any time*.

"Lia....." Gary started then stopped.

Alicia offered an understanding smile as she gave Gary a look that said he didn’t need to call Lia, she’d sensed where Lia was. “It’s okay, I’ll go and say hello if Lia doesn’t mind.” She headed towards the bedroom offering a polite knock on the door before stepping just inside the doorway. “Hello Lia, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by?”

"I'll go into the office Alicia so you and Lia can come out here and be more comfortable."

Alicia turned to look at Gary. “Thank you Gary.”

"Sure thing Alicia." Gary replied as he entered the office, shutting the door behind him.

Hearing the talk between Gary and Alicia, Lia waited. All she had to do was remain where she was, but the bloody Princess had made this an order. Standing up she moved the sliding door across and entered the living space, "Commander, what can I do for you?"

“I think you know that as well as I do Lia” Alicia offered a friendly smile. “I can sense you’re not happy with my being here, you don’t have to hide it. I’m here to see what I can do to help you, the sooner we get started on that the sooner you get your career back on track.”

Lia pointed to a seat and took one facing it. "Career? What career? I screwed that up two weeks ago, no scratch that. I screwed it up when I forgot to be a Security Chief, so there you have it Commander. A full confession by the accused, so what do we talk about now?" To Lia this wasn't helping one damn bit, just what was she supposed to say or do. She'd lost her rank and lost her department, she felt like saying drop me off at the next planet.

“Well you’ve faced that head on” Alicia offered a wry smile. “Your career isn’t done with yet Lia, yes you’ve been reduced in rank, and yes you’ve lost your position, but it’s not like you can’t come back from this. You have to fight for it, and that fight starts with you telling me exactly what is going on.”

"Going on? Going on?" Lia looked up and closed her eye's, "I'm human, I make mistakes. I'm not perfect, that's what's going on. Everyone thinks I'm little miss perfect, Lia is a straight arrow. Well news flash, I ain't."

Alicia nodded. “None of us are, myself included. I think there’s more to it than that though, tell me about Phoenix. What are your thoughts on her?”

"You don't want an answer to that question do you? Because I'll end up in solitary for eternity if I respond truthfully." Lia stopped herself before she went further, she knew Phoenix could and probably would read these reports.

“What is said during a Counselling session is strictly private” Alicia was quick to reassure Lia. “My report doesn’t go into detail, that would be against patient confidentiality. As it’s a major point in all this I need to know Lia.”

"Need to know or want to know? If I told you my thoughts on our bloody Princess of a Commadore, you'd lock me up."

Ariana sighed. “There’s obviously some deep routed mistrust there Lia, that has to be worked out. How are you supposed to work with a Commanding Officer you don’t trust?”

Taylor sat back and crossed her arms, "Who said I wanted to work with her? She lost me when she up'd and disappeared, then reappeared as if nothing had happened. She came back different, colder, nastier. From being a trusted friend, I suddenly became the enemy." Lia sat looking at Alicia, "I found out what she had been doing, somehow I think she found out I knew and that bugged her." She glanced at the door," Added to the mix was Gary, still within the inner sanctum and blind to her change. He said I was the one causing trouble, and I had to say sorry. He chose her over me, and did nothing when the Princess's pet JAG verbally abused me. Never even said a word to stop her, I won't forget that in a hurry."

Alicia nodded as she listened, now she could see where Lia’s anger toward Gary was coming from. “In your husband’s defence he’s the first officer of this starship, and you know as well as I do that whilst on duty we have to maintain a certain professional distance. Though I do understand how you feel.” She paused. “As for Phoenix, have you stopped to think that whatever happened whilst she was away is the reason for the change you’ve noticed? I can’t say I’ve noticed that change myself.”

"If you go chasing the kind of people she was chasing, you'd change. I'm neither blind or stupid, but she didn't need to cut me out. She chose to cut me out, drop me and use Gary as some kind of information utensil. I fucking hate that, and I hate her with everything I am." Lia looked away remembering happier times, "She married us you know, we asked her because we were friends. Gary has become distant in some ways, he only sees Lalor in some rose tinted way like some puppy."

Alicia nodded. “Will you give me your permission to speak with Gary? Just to try and help clear this up between you. As for Phoenix maybe we could try sorting it out by putting the two of you together, somewhere you can talk freely to air your grievances. As you said you used to be friends, we could try getting that friendship back on the rails again?”

Lia shook her head, "No point talking to either of them, Gary will say its me imagining it. Or I have this "If your not with me you're against me" vibe, as for Lalor. Put us in a room together, and we'd probably kill each other."

“Not if I was there” Alicia smiled. “I appreciate your honesty Lia, as a Betazoid I can feel your emotions but it’s nice to have it verbalised with such honesty. All I’ll say is don’t write off your husband, the two of you are adopting a child there’s nothing more precious than that but an unstable home won’t be looked upon favourably by those who will check in from time to time. Speaking of which I understand you want a child of your own, but you can’t as yet, that must be frustrating?”

Taylor glanced at Alicia, "No point in lying is there? Lalor and I seem to have developed a love hate relationship, we love to hate the other. As for Gary, its up to the two of us to go forwards. Takes two to tango, as they say." Lia look around at the Tea House, "It would be nice to have a kid running around here, but as you say an unstable couple aren't the best people. The CMO say's wait, but how long can someone of my age do that? Of course I want a child of my own, but with this hanging over me would it even be on the cards?" She turned away and took a deep breath, *No! No tears, no emotions* she thought to herself.

“Don’t bottle your emotions Lia, it’ll do more harm than it will good.” Alicia offered a gentle smile. “If it helps I know how you feel, I admit I do have children but as it stands I can’t give Savar any more. Hence why we’ve adopted a Vulcan boy. I know it hurts but you’ve got the best doctor here, my father will do everything he can to help you have a baby in the future.”

"I don't doubt his skill, it's the time factor that will decide. I'm not getting any younger, and that's a fact nobody can stop." Lia looked back at Alicia, "My emotions are what got me into this, I let them rule my head and let other people down."

“Now that’s what I wanted to hear” Alicia smiled. “An honest statement, you’ve now got to come back from the low point. Emotions can lead to mistakes, it how we come back from those mistakes that matters.”

Taylor didn't react at first, then she looked Alicia straight in the eyes. "Come back from the mistakes, easier said than done. I've got a husband who thinks I've gone off the deep end, and a C.O. Who would cheerfully give me back to the Romulans, for some Romulan ale." Lia looked out of the window into the endless space beyond, "Out there, somewhere is home. In the sick bay is the person who can get us back there, and walking around is the S.O.B who put her there. And I screwed up the one chance to catch him, emotions, my emotions may have ruined not just my life but other peoples."

“No...” Alicia shook her head. “Your emotions are a powerful part of what makes you so good at your job, you haven’t ruined anyone’s life. Let’s just say that I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can.”

"S'hib was let down by me, Dolton is now in the firing line because I'm not there to protect her. Miraj won't get the justice she deserves by my department, sorry what was my department. And I'm about as popular as a bad smell in a confined space." Still looking out of the window, Lia slowly hung her head. "Who are we kidding, we both know I can't come back from this. What ever career I had, is about screwed up as its possible to be."

Alicia nodded. “You’re right, things are rock bottom right now. But, you know as well as I do there’s only one way to go and that’s up.” She offered a warm smile. “You are not responsible for the actions of another, what happened to Miraj is horrific, if we’d have known what was going to happen maybe it could have been stopped, but as it stands none of us knew. The person who did it WILL be caught, your insights could be invaluable.”

Shaking her head, Lia turned to face Alicia. "I committed a cardinal sin in the Security world, I let my emotions get the better of me. That fact alone damns me, I've been demoted and lost the department what else can anyone draw from that? I have no support from those in higher places, confidence in my authority has been removed."

“For now, that doesn’t mean you can’t earn that trust back Lia” Alicia tried to offer some friendly practical support. “That’s what we’ll work towards, together.”

"Unless you're a miracle worker Alicia, your on a hiding to nothing. The Commodore and the ships XO have no confidence in me, just who am I suppose to impress to gain acceptance?"
Lia returned to look out of the window, "No my future is as empty as that void out there."

“The ship’s XO just happens to be your husband, and he loves you with every fibre of his being. I’m not just saying that to make you feel better, I can sense it every time Gary looks at you.” Alicia paused to let that sink in. “You know as well as I do that he can’t show you favouritism when he’s on duty, the same as Savar and I have to maintain personal distance when we’re working. Don’t push Gary away, let him support you and be there for you Lia.”

Turning back to face Alicia, Lia shook her head. "I'm not pushing him away, but he's leaning a little to far on the opposite side to me. I understand about favouritism, but standing back and allowing someone else to verbally abuse and insult another crew member and do nothing. That's something else in my book, he wants to forget and move on. So do I, but he needs to lose this star struck rose tinted view of Lalor and her pet JAG." Standing up she headed for the replicator, "Can I get you anything?" She then ordered her self a coffee, and turned back to see if Alicia wanted a drink?

“Ohh err a chilled water would be lovely thank you” Alicia smiled. “I guess I’d feel hurt if I was in your shoes, but Gary has to back up his Senior Officer. It’s part of the job of a First Officer. I can’t demand that he see things your way, that’s something the two of you will need to work out.”

Handing Alicia her water, Lia sat back down. "It's the working out which might be the straw which breaks the camels back, we've talked and said sorry. But I feel and know that there are things which need to be aired and cleared, there's a difference supporting your C.O. And basically fawning over your C.O." Sipping the hot coffee, Lia looked at the floor then back at Alicia, "This isn't anger issues, or temper tantrums. Things for me have changed, and I don't know how mend them or if I even want to try to mend them. Now that may sound strange, but I am a good Officer and I'm good at what I do. Everyone drops the ball sometime, this is my time but I'm buggered if I even know how I got here."

Alicia nodded it was a complicated situation. “As much as I hate to say it, maybe some temporary time away from your career would benefit you? I’m not saying leave your job, I’m just saying take some leave time. It’s not like any of us are going anywhere near home anytime soon, but it would give you a break.”

"Don't think that can happen right now, we've got ship repairs and missing personnel. I'm already in the cart, if I say to Lalor that I need to step back I'm signing my career death warrant. She'll hand my department over permanently, and I'll probably end up as a JG in another department." Lia placed her coffee on a low table, "Alicia, I know this might sound a bit off. But I'm a Security Officer and an ex Intelligence Agent, it's what I do and what I am. I can't just walk away, I need to be doing what I'm doing or I may as well give up and be a civilian."

Alicia smiled. “That is exactly what I wanted to hear Lia, I want you to fight for your position. To be willing to get past this and move on, I’m glad to hear that fire is still there.”

Inside the office, Gary brooded and thought and thought some more. Finally, his decision made he got up and went out to where Lia and Alicia were talking. "Forgive me for interrupting Alicia but I have something to say to Lia and It can't wait." Without waiting for Alicia's ok, he turned to Lia. "Lia. I am so terribly sorry for what this situation has done and how it has made you feel. I want you know; I don't hate you, look down at you or think less of you. What I am is damn proud to be your husband. I need you by my side as we work as a team to get through this raise our daughter and get our lives back on track. You are never alone Lia and I'm so very sorry you felt like you were or are." He took a breath, "I love you, Lia Taylor. now and until the end of time." He finished as tears slowly ran down his cheeks, his arms outstretched. "You aren't alone anymore."

Standing up, Lia approached her husband. "We've both been idiots over this, me more than you. I pressed the self destruct button and stood back and watched, S'hib hates me, Kyle probably doesn't trust me. But I know you love me, and that more than anything means the universe to me. The other things can wait, our family comes first. Lalor can wait, Kyle can wait. Maybe its time I thought about us, about you and little Lia. This ship can move on without me for a bit, I need rest and my family to help get me through this."

Gary stood silently as Lia spoke. Has she finished his arms closed around her in a hug. He spoke hot a word, just hugged her tightly and kissed her passionately on the lips. He pulled back to look at her, "Good idea. I'm here for you always." He said softly.

As soon as I can settle things, I'll inform Reece that he'll have to do without me. I'm sure he and S'hib can manage without Lia Taylor, in fact I'm sure as hell they can."

Gary nodded and continued to hug her before saying, "Lia don't give up your career. Take a LOA but don't give up your career. You are needed. Your experience is needed."

Alicia smiled as she watched Gary and Lia together. “How’s about I leave the two of you to some time alone. I’ll see you both another time.”

Turning slightly, Lia looked at Alicia. "Bring that husband of yours with you next time, I think I owe him an apology. And thanks for your help, I won't forget this."

Alicia nodded. “My pleasure Lia, and I’ll relay your best wishes to Savar.” She smiled at Gary as she stood to leave. “If there’s anything either of you need just call.”

Gary nodded and smiled at Alicia. "Thank you for everything Alicia."

Alicia nodded. “It’s my pleasure Gary, if either of you need me you know where I am.” With that she headed on her way.

{OFF}