Cuts Both Ways

Posted on Tue Sep 26th, 2017 @ 11:48pm by Senior Captain Connor McKinney M.D. PhD & Captain Madeline Sanchez & Saxon McKinney & Specialist Aleysha Xerix
Edited on on Wed Sep 12th, 2018 @ 7:22pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: Starbase Magellan
Timeline: 2388/08/18 0730 (August 18 2388 0730)

"You know, if you keep doing that, you'll wear a hole in the floor." Maddie commented as she watched Connor pacing about. She on the other hand was leaning up against a bulkhead, patiently waiting for the ship carrying Connor's family to arrive.

They were at Starbase Magellan, in an observation room near where those that were beamed down from the docking station arrived. For the moment they were alone, and at Maddie's words, Connor stopped his pacing. He sat down in a nearby seat, and leaned forward placing his hands together. He glanced up at her before just staring at his hands.

"Is something wrong?" Maddie asked softly, wondering why he was behaving this way.

Looking back up to her, Connor leaned back and gestured to the seat next to him. "Will you sit with me?"

Maddie nodded and moved to sit beside him resisting the urge to sit close. "Talk to me." she said as she reached out to take his hand.

"My mind is all over the place," he said quietly, looking away as he swallowed, "More so in the past. I don't want to go there..." he looked back over to her, "I like it here in the present."

"I like it here too." Maddie said as she squeezed his hand reassuringly, "And I'm sorry if sometimes I'm a bit..." she paused to try and think of the word, "Eager. It's just...I've never been so instantly attracted to anyone in my entire life." she admitted softly, hoping that he would understand.

Connor's expression became even more serious, "That's why you should get to know me, Maddie."

"I want to." Maddie replied, "But you need to let me in..." she said quietly as she reached out a hand and placed a finger under his chin so that she could guide him to her gaze.

He stared at her, the moment between them becoming more intense. He knew she was right, and it was what he wanted to do, if only it was that easy... He slowly nodded, "Yeah...'n' will you...let me in?"

Maddie nodded. "Cuts both ways. I will if you will." she whispered as she lost herself in his eyes.

His eyes becoming glassy, Connor broke his gaze and looked around them. How much anxiety he was feeling, revealed by the way he needed to breath in, running his hand over his mouth, and he couldn't help but think about how he never had that with Oralia. Licking his lips, he slowly nodded again.

"My ex-sister-in-law's name is Aleysha Xerix." he manage to say a moment later, pronouncing the start of her last name with a 'z'. "She 'n' my nephew were there on SB900 when it was believed I had died."

"They know that you're not though right?" Maddie asked, "I mean, someone told them you're alive?" she looked at him thinking that it didn't take a telepath to see that he was nervous.

"Yeah." Connor said, "They know."

Suddenly a child's voice shouted out from across the room. "Uncle Connor!"

Quickly Connor turned to see a little boy with brown curly hair and dark eyes running towards him. Flying out of his seat, he hurried towards the boy, and caught him in his arms. Placing one hand behind the boy's head, his eyes tearing up, Connor stood, hugging him tightly.

Maddie watched the reunion and smiled, a pang of something unrecognisable twisting in her stomach as she watched Connor with his nephew.

Aleysha Xerix walked up to them, wiping her own tears away with one hand as she noticed Connor looking at her. "Oh gods, Connor..." and the tears continued as he welcomed her into the hug.

Feeling more and more out of place, Maddie couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy rip through her as she watched the other woman. Clearly he was close to her and regardless of the fact that she was family, it didn't help the Puerto Rican with her irrational feelings. Standing up, she wondered if she could exit without anyone noticing so that she could leave them to their reunion.

Connor ended the hug and pulled away. "You look good, Connor." Aleysha smiled wiping her eyes again, and then she looked over to Maddie.

Connor caught on and turned to her still holding the boy in his arms, "Maddie..." he began, awkwardly hesitating "Captain Madeline Sanchez, this is enlisted Specialist Aleysha Xerix."

Her eyes having gone between the two, Aleysha smiled at Maddie while he spoke.

Maddie froze. She had just been starting for the door when Connor had said her name. Closing her eyes for a moment to compose herself, she turned and said "Hi...I was uh...just going to leave you three to spend some time together. You don't want a stranger around." She smiled overbrightly and avoided Connor's gaze.

"You're not a stranger." Connor spoke quickly, setting the boy down, his eyes going over her.

"She's pretty, Uncle Connor. Are you going to marry her?" The boy beamed up to him.

~Saxon!~ Aleysha telepathically communicated to her half-Betazoid son. Knowing he had partially received what she had picked up from both Connor and Maddie, she finished with, ~Remember what we talked about, little one.~ and to Connor who looked uncomfortable, she mouthed 'so sorry'.

"Your Uncle Connor is my boss." Maddie managed to get out in a strangled voice as she looked at Saxon, her cheeks flushing red at the young boy's innocent question.

Unable to respond at first, Connor had to clear his throat. He placed his hand lightly on Saxon's head, and furiously blushing, glanced over to her, "Maddie, this is Saxon Enaren McKinney."

"Hi." With a small smile, Saxon lifted his arm wanting to fist bump with her. That caused Connor to smile. Placing a hand on his chin, he watched her.

"Pleased to meet you Saxon Enaren McKinney." Maddie smiled having regained her composure. Lowering herself down to Saxon's level, she bumped her fist gently against his.

Connor chuckled, "You learned that from your dad?"

"Yep!" Saxon replied, looking proud.

Still smiling down at Saxon, Connor asked Aleysha, "How's Alex?"

"He's good...all things considered." she replied, looking between him and Maddie again, and took hold of Saxon's hand, "But we should talk...tomorrow?" When she saw Connor's brow furrowed, she knew she needed to reassure him, "Really, he's fine...and I should get checked in right now."

"Okay." Connor nodded, still feeling and looking uncertained.

Placing a hand on Connor's arm, Aleysha started leading Saxon away and smiled at Maddie, "It was nice to meet you, Captain Sanchez."

"Good to meet you too." Maddie replied as she stood up and moved back to Connor's side.

Uncertain of what to say, Connor looked over to her and reached his hand over to lightly squeeze her hand. Then he walked away and picked up the PADD that had been placed where he had been sitting earlier. There was another matter of why they were there on the station; a decision needed to be made on the possible future of a Nygean boy.


End



Captain Madeline Sanchez
XO/Assistant Dean
Magellan Campus

Doctor Connor McKinney
Dean
Magellan Campus

Saxon McKinney
Child and Connor's Nephew
Magellan Station NPC

Aleysha Xerix
Translation Specialist
Magellan Station NPC