Tea Time

Posted on Fri Jan 20th, 2023 @ 8:35pm by Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII & NVeid tr'Rehu

Mission: Character Development
Location: Finn's Family Home
Timeline: Day 10 of Shore Leave, after 'Unexpected Company'
1705 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Not sure what to do now, NVeid stared at Finn's mother. "Should I follow?"

"I wouldn't. When those two are determined about anything it's near impossible to stop them. You're welcome to stay here until they get back if you'd like though I can't tell you how long it will be." She replied.

"Thank you, I will. Finn is quite dear to me.." he held up his hand and smiled slightly. "As a friend, we are not in any way romantically involved nor will we be. But she is special, and I believe that, because of similar situations in our lives, we have a connection somehow. And I want nothing more than for her to be herself again."

Kacey appreciated what he said, but also knew that no one wanted that more than she or her husband. "Make yourself at home," she motioned towards the seating in the living room. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Tea, if it's not too much trouble?" He cast her a grateful smile as he entered the living area and found himself a seat. "I wish I knew how to best help Finn," he ventured carefully, "it pains me to see her like this, insecure about her ability when she's such a brilliant engineer. Has she told you about the space egg she and a friend cared for and finally hatched?"

"I'll tell you what I've learned about the Keatings in my years with them. They are stubborn as hell and if they don't want to talk, they won't. They carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and think one wrong move will ruin the whole family name," Kacey rolled her eyes. "I hate that family name if I'm being honest. I didn't want to pass it on to Finn after what my husband went through when he was about her age, but he insisted that it was a right of passage." Finn's mother lamented as she replicated a pot of tea and poured them both cups. "And no, I haven't heard about the space egg. We haven't heard much about anything since she'd been back."

"Hmm, then that's perhaps best a tale for her to tell," he mused, "I do know that she has been of great help to me, and has been a great friend when I really needed one. When my telepathy went haywire due to some kind of radiation, she was my anchor...she managed to help me stay sane. And I really want to return that favour, I want to be her anchor. No strings attached."

"That's very kind of you, but have you met my daughter?" Kacey chuckled. "I swear 'I can do it myself' or 'I don't need help' were her first words. She's always been very independent and sometimes pushing her to lean on you just backfires. She loves to be there for people in their times of need and she prides herself in being a good friend, but somehow thinks it's shameful for anyone to help her if she needs it," she shook her head. "It doesn't make much sense, but we've learned to work with it. Quinn has always given her a hard time for not asking for help when she needs it, but sometimes its like calling the kettle black."

"Then how do we do this, in a way that it doesn't seem like she's leaning on us, but we help her regardless?" NVeid suggested, "in such a way she won't feel cheated, when she discovers the truth?"

"If I know Quinn, he'll handle it when he finds her. In probably the same manner that his father handled it when Quinn came home the first time he lost someone in combat. He tried to do it gently and made some progress a couple of days ago, but I think he's worried now that if he doesn't act that he'll lose her after what just happened," Kacey surmised.

"How did his father handle it? I must admit, I wouldn't know how I would deal with this, should this concern my own child. One who, unfortunately cannot make the travel to Earth this leave. Athena has no space for children, so my son lives with my sister on Betazed."

"Like I said, he beat it out of him," Kacey put a hand up before any interjections. "Not in a physically harming way. He just didn't go about it gently. He pushed Quinn to a point and then built him back up. It seems harsh, but it worked." She paused and looked at NVeid with a sense of sorrow. "That must be very hard to have your child away from you."

"It is, but I know he is safe with my sister. Something he would not be if he were with me on the Athena. And he will get training in his telepathic skills that I cannot provide for him, or empathic since he is half Betazoid and half Human, so it's likely he'll only have empathic skill, unlike myself." He glanced towards the door, hoping Finn would come back any second now. "What is Finn like, when she's here at home? Is she much different than off duty aboard the Athena?"

Kacey noted his glace towards the entryway. "If I had to guess, they won't be back anytime soon. It'll probably take the better part of an hour or two for Quinn to even find her with as much of a head start as she had. Finn is surprisingly good at covering her trail. Once he does find her, I doubt he will bring her home," Kacey sighed, exasperated with the charade that she'd had to put on the past week or so. Tip-toeing around Finn was difficult when all she felt was concern and the need to reach out. Beyond that, knowing that Quinn was over being patient made her worry, even though she knew their daughter would ultimately be in safe hands with him. She never liked the idea of putting someone through hell just to pull them back out in a hopefully better state. It made no sense, yet somehow it had worked for so many in that family line. "You're welcome to stay until they do come back. The guest room is already made, I just finished putting it back together after Finn's best friend left."

"If it's not too much of an inconvenience?" Carefully he sipped his tea. "I can come back when they return if that's preferred." Though he didn't have much else to do in the mean time either. "This is my first visit to Earth," he finally offered, "at least...that I can recall. Is there something or somewhere you recommend that is a must-see for any alien?"

"It's no inconvenience at all," Kacey smiled. "In fact I'd appreciate the company. Conversation can be a good distraction." She stated honestly as her heart still worried about what was happening with Finn "You've really never visited Earth before? Wow, I'm not even sure where to start on what to visit. There are so many options!"

"I have time to make a selection and travel. There's another friend who has offered to show me a few places though I'd hate to be the third wheel. I had hoped to talk Finn into it... Or at least teach me how to surf in a real ocean. Did she ever tell you where we met?"

"I can't say she has. We get limited information in the letters she's written home and since she's been here we haven't much in general. Tell me about it," Kacey grabbed her cup of tea and sat on the couch.

"We met on a holodeck pool," the Romulan explained as he sipped his tea, "I already had the program running as I use swimming as a workout and she came in. She ah....didn't like me very much at first but through time, I believe we did develop a friendship. She still hates my telepathy but I do my best to respect her thoughts." He sipped his tea again as if to allow room for questions.

"That's a trait she gets from her grandfather. Quinn can be surprisingly open with his emotions when he wants to be. His father though, always disliked telepaths. 'No one needs to know anything about my damned feelings'" Kacey quoted Finn the fifth in the best voice she could muster with a chuckle. "Sounds like it's a good thing shes met you."

"Does it?" No-one had ever told him such a thing before, compliments had been really scarce in his life and he wasn't quite sure how to respond to it. "Her thoughts are always her own, but I can't help feelings, especially when they're right on her sleeve. She's one of the few people I consider a friend aboard the Athena, I don't socialize you see. And as a surgeon while I'm respected, no-one really wants to socialize with phycisians. I still don't quite understand why."

"Probably has something to do with the feeling of vulnerability one feels with medical sorts. You have quite a bit of power you know. You can take them off work, you can tell them they're going to live or they're going to die. Tell them things they can or can't do anymore. For people that like to have complete control over their lives, like the two that recently vacated the building, you're a giant wild card and they don't like that. So instead of just facing what's to come, they avoid you completely," Kacey said.

"I'm a civilian," NVeid explained, "and a surgeon. I don't think I have that kind of power. Only the CMO does, doesn't he? And I'll never be a CMO. I do know she avoids the counselor at all costs though..."

"I'm not sure honestly, I'm a civilian myself and never paid too much attention to Starfleet rules. Either way, you still wield power in one sense or the other. As for counselors, she's never liked them. We both tried to get her to visit one when Cameron died and she refused." Kacey looked at her watch. An hour had passed and still no message from Quinn. "Well, how about some dinner?"