Family Time

Posted on Fri Dec 15th, 2023 @ 2:31am by Lieutenant Samaire MacBride-Reece [Lalor] & Skylah McBride [Lalor] & Staff Sergeant Liam "Swede" Reece [Reece]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 4: Memory Lane
Location: USS Elysium, McBride-Reece family quarters
Timeline: MD 3 1853 hours
1370 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

It had been a rough few weeks for his family. Both Samaire and Skylah had been having horrible nightmares. Then, when it was discovered who controlled the area of space before them, things had gotten a bit worse. Skylah had nearly stopped eating, and Samaire had barely slept more than a few hours over the past three days. Liam was doing everything he could to protect and comfort the the most important women in his life. Tonight, he had put together their favorite meal. "Come on, honey," he said to Skylah as he reached out and gently caressed her right cheek. "You need to eat, to keep your strength up."

Skylah shrugged and took a small bite of food. She was not responding to many people. Liam and her aunt were basically the only two currently who could get a response from her.

Samaire came out of the bedroom, she had dark circles under her eyes and she was drawn in the face. "Is she eating?"

Liam looked over at his wife and gave her a sad shake of his head. "Not enough, honey." His heart was breaking for the both of them. He was doing everything he knew how to take care of them. Unfortunately he felt like he was failing.

Samaire nodded "I.. I was thinking... of asking the doctor to sedate us. Skylah and I. To give us time to get through this section of space."

Reaching over, Liam took Samaire's left hand in his right. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he replied. "If you think that's the best course of action, then you have my support, my love. I just want you two to be safe."

"She would be asleep, and the doctor can feed us intravenously and he can put us out so deep no dreams. I don't like it. Too much like being trapped as we were but if it helps her... "

Gently pulling Samaire down into his lap as he sat at their dining table with Skylah, Liam held his wife protectively. "This whole situation makes me uncomfortable, my love. But if there's even a chance that the two of you will have some peace and are safe, then I'm all for it."

She leaned into him silently, because she needed his strength. "This nightmare gets worse and worse," She said softly.

Reaching up, he gently held the back of her head. "We will get through this, my love. If I have to open up the gates of hell and shove them inside, I will."

She brushed her lips across his. "Thank you Love" She looked at their niece. She was pushing food around her plate. "Skylah? come on sweetie, another bite."

The nearly 6 year old shook her head. "Not hungry"

Liam turned in his seat and looked around Samaire while he still held her close. "I know you're not, sweetheart, but we need you to eat some more. At least three more bites."

Sighing the child slowly took another bite. She was not really hungry.

Samaire took a breath. "I will contact the Doctors and set up an appointment." She said softly to Liam.

Looking up into her beautiful face, Liam nodded slightly, heartache clear in his eyes. Looking over at Skylah, he spoke softly to her. "Just a couple more, sweetheart, then you can be done."

Skylah pushed the food around the plate a bit more and took the bite requested before getting up from the table and walking over to the couch, where she curled up with the family cat.

Seraph for her part was quite content with the fact that the little human girl was not moving so much, and curled up purring against Skylah's tummy as Skylah put her head on a cushion and lay there listlessly.

Liam watched his little angel with heartbreak in his eyes. Once she was on the couch, he gently lifted Samaire a little, indicating he wanted to get up. "Call the doctor, babe, while I clean this stuff up." He then collected the dinner dishes and put them in the recyclers.

Samaire nodded and headed to make the call. She knew that Medical was swamped. When she returned a few minutes later. "Tomorrow sometime," She said softly. "They are very busy in medical. They can see us tomorrow."

Liam frowned, unhappy at the delay. Pulling her close, he whispered, "Is there anything we can do for her tonight?"

"No, I will sit up with her. You should get some sleep." Samaire said softly.

"I'll agree to that, only if we split the time. You need sleep too, baby." Liam embraced Samaire and kissed her forehead gently.

"ok, I will wake you in a few hours" She agreed.

Liam nodded, though he wouldn't need her to wake him. Since he was a young boy, he had had the curious knack of being able to set an internal alarm, when needed, and he would wake within minutes of the target time. "I love you, Sam."

"Love you too Liam" she kissed him and then moved to sit on the couch near Skylah and the cat.

Liam waited a few moments, simply watching his family in silence. It was amazing, he thought to himself, how Samaire and Skylah had become so important to him in such a short time. He knew, without hesitation, he would die for them. He would equally kill to protect them, without a second's hesitation. They were the most important things in his life.

After a few more beats, he quietly moved into the master bedroom. He took a quick sonic shower, then climbed into bed. After running his hand over the empty space that Samaire usually occupied, he closed his mind, thought about when he wanted to wake up, and fell fast Sleep.

Samaire sat in silence, her gaze almost like her niece's as she sat there, with the child and feline. Only Seraph, the sleek black cat, seemed to move over the next few hours, shifting in her sleep, curled up beside Skylah who lay almost frozen in place, staring blankly out the window.

If either female slept, it was hard to tell, as neither lowered their head or seemed to close their eyes. Deep inside, nightmares brewed.

Four hours later, Liam woke up and, after readying himself, he moved back out to the living room, his heart dropping at what he saw. Moving carefully over to the couch he moved in front of Samaire's line of sight. The last thing he wanted to do was startle them. "Sam?" He spoke softly. "Honey," he reached out and gently held her right hand.

She turned her head to face him, "Oh hi," she said. "That time already?"

He nodded wordlessly. "Go ahead, baby. I'll stay with her till we go. Go take a quick sonic shower and lay down." He paused, then added, "If you can't sleep, then come on back out, and we will all sit here together."

Samaire nodded and stood up and made her way to their bedroom. She took her time, showering and changing into sleep wear. She sat on the edge of their bed and tried to force herself to lay down. But it didn't work. She eventually came back out and sat back down beside Liam and curled into his side.

When Samaire came back out, Liam had already pulled Skylah up into his lap and had her laying against his chest, as he slowly and gently ran his fingers through her hair soothingly. When Samaire sat down, he put his other arm around her shoulders, holder them both against his chest. He then began to run the fingers of his right hand through his wife's hair in the same soothing manner.

Samaire closed her eyes as she relaxed into him. Her eyes were tired, even if she could not sleep, she could rest her eyes.

Skylah's eyes were also closed but her body was not relaxed.

Seraph had shifted so she was at the other end of the couch, annoyed that the male human had woke her sleep.

For the next few hours, the small family stayed there on the couch. Finally, it was time to get dressed and head to sickbay.

~OFF~