JPL - Lt Rotek & LtCmdr Waterhouse - "Letting Go"

Posted on Fri Dec 19th, 2014 @ 9:54am by Commander Amelia Waterhouse & Lieutenant Commander Rotek

1,621 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: All Hallows’

=/\=Rotek's Quarters=/\=
Rotek, having gone off duty and taken a few moments to freshen up and change, took a seat on the sofa in his quarters and tapped his combadge "Rotek to Waterhouse. If you are available, please join me in my quarters. Rotek out."

Amelia was just pulling cookies out of her oven when her combadge chirped and the half-klingon doctor's voice requested her presence. That required putting on shoes, but it meant a test subject for the new cookie recipe she was trying. A fair compromise, and she'd promised him she'd be an ear that he clearly needed. Soon a dozen lemon cookies were in a lime green takeout box, so she'd slipped on a pair black lace flats and made her way to Rotek's quarters in skinny jeans and a red shirt with a gold foil wonder woman logo on the front.

Soon she stood at his door, and rang the chime.

Hearing the chime, Rotek said "Come in. It's open." Seeing Waterhouse enter he said "Thanks for coming Commander. I hope I'm not bothering you inviting you over so suddenly."

"Your timing couldn't have been more perfect to get you cookies," she answered with a grin, holding out the take out box. "You don't have a camera in my quarters, do you?" She teased, knowing he couldn't.

Laughing slightly, he took the cookies and placed them on the coffee table. Gesturing to a nearby chair he said "Please make yourself at home. Which would you prefer with the cookies? Coffee or milk?"

"Milk, please," she answered, settling into the indicated chair. "I hope you like lemon."

Smiling, he walked to the replicator and ordered 2 large glasses of milk. Returning to the table he passed one to her and took a seat on the sofa. Putting his glass down on a nearby coaster, he opened the box, and sampled a cookie. With a smile he said "Delicious, I'll have to get the recipe from you."

"It's simple - butter, flour, sugar, and lemon. The only reason I didn't mess it up, I figure. My Gram sent it to me when I told her the XO suite came with a proper kitchen," Amelia grinned, collecting a cookie for herself. "I'll happily get you the recipe, though I'll probably make it into a replicator pattern too... Just can't tell Gram, though I think she suspects I do it." She winked as she took a bite of her cookie.

Smirking, Rotek took another cookie and ate it, then took a quick sip of his milk. Leaning back on the sofa he said "As much as I enjoy learning new recipes, you know I invited you over for another reason right?"

"Of course, though I figured letting you lead would be best," she allowed, settling into the chair with her legs stretched out in front of her, ankles crossed.

Sighing, he said "It's hard to know where to start. Like I said at the party, the captain suggested I speak to a counselor, but I avoided doing so. Maybe its the Klingon side of me being stubborn."

"I can certainly sympathize, it took me a while to find a counselor I trusted," Amelia returned with an encouraging smile. "As cliché as it is, the beginning is usually a good place to start. Just trust me when I say that the beginning isn't always chronologically linear, so start with whatever feels right." Amelia couldn't resist pulling a page from Doctor Who with her advice, it seemed to fit.

Nodding, he took a moment, then replied "Well, the whole ... issue has to do with my parents. I was never overly close to them. They weren't part of my life for a long time."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," she returned, sitting up and leaning forward. A part of her wished she might have an idea what that was like, if only to properly sympathize, but she knew how lucky she was to be so close with her parents.

"Thanks" he replied quietly, then added "My childhood wasn't the greatest. Growing up a half Klingon, half human on the Homeworld was rough. My parents didn't know what to do with me, especially because my father was disowned by his House for marrying a human."

"I heard enough about growing up a half-breed on Qo'noS from my mother, I assure you, I have an idea of that pain even if I was lucky enough to be spared it myself," she said. She was starting to wonder if she was even saying the right things, since she had not been through these things herself. All she could do is try her best, right?

"It didn't help that when I shared with them that I was gay." he replied "My father kicked me out, and after a short while of communicating with me, my mother stopped calling. They weren't there when I graduated from the Defense Force Academy, or Starfleet Academy. I didn't even get a message when I got my first commission."

"I didn't think even Klingons were close minded enough to cut off children over that anymore," Amelia gasped, not stopping to think before the words slipped from her lips.

"Apparently mine missed the memo" Rotek added angrily. Pausing to collect himself, he added "So as I said, I haven't heard from them for a long time. Then just before I received my transfer orders to join Vindicator, I received a message from Starfleet...."

"That's quite an important memo to miss," Amelia muttered.

Feeling a tear slide down his face, he continued "The message said that my parent's private ship had been destroyed by the Borg...."

There was a long moment of silence as Amelia took in what he'd just said, then she silently moved to the sofa next to the Doctor and laid her arm around his shoulders. She wanted to ask if he knew if they died or if they'd been assimilated, but ultimately it didn't really matter — one was pretty much the same as the other as far as both the fleet and the general population was concerned. It took an excess of resources and a lot of risk to be able to bring anyone back from assimilation. It'd only been done successfully a very small number of times.

"I am so so sorry," she finally said softly.

Sobbing openly, he said "I've been keeping this bottled up for a while. I broke down with the captain a while ago, but never told her the full story. I've ... tried to cut myself off from people so I don't let it slip out. I'm sorry for showing such weakness, this is just so hard to finally talk about."

"Don't you dare apologize about this," she insisted, though not unkindly. She gave him a gentle squeeze, and her hand dipped into the small pocket of her jeans to pull out a green handkerchief. "I know it would shatter me to lose my parents, so going through that with unfinished business on top..." She sighed softly, offering the soft square of green cloth to Rotek.

Wiping at his eyes, he took a moment to calm himself, and even though the tears were still falling, he said "Thank you for listening. I know we don't know each other well, but it helps a bit to finally have my secret out."

"Think nothing of it. That is absolutely not something you should keep bottled up." She gave his shoulders another squeeze. "There isn't really much I can do beyond just listen, so you will want to talk to a counselor eventually... but even just having a sympathetic ear is a good start."

Nodding, he replied "I know I need to do that Amelia, but I may still need to lean on you off and on if that's ok."

"Of course, I'm here whenever you need me," Amelia assured him. "Do you have any other family you're in touch with, if you don't mind me asking?"

Shaking his head, he replied "Not really. As I mentioned, my family was essentially shunned once my father chose to marry my mother. I've tried to connect with some of the extended family, but for some reason they don't reply to messages. I also think my sexuality has made them reluctant to contact me."

"And your mother's side is the same?" Amelia knew there were still a few human cultures that were still backwards on the subject, but they were few and far between.

Shrugging, Rotek replied "I'm not sure to be honest. I never really got to know the human side of the family." Pausing, he said "Maybe I should try to do some research to try to find out more about them?"

"It might give you some measure of closure, if your mother's family proves to be more accepting than your father's," she suggested. "But also keep in mind, this crew is a family of a sorts, so you do have us."

Nodding, he replied with a very small smile "Are you sure you're not a counselor in disguise? Because you're good at making me feel a bit better."

"I learned from the best counselors around, bar tenders," she teased. "I even have secret booze, if you want the full experience." She winked and gestured to her back pocket.

Rolling his eyes, and wiping the last tears from his cheek, Rotek replied "Maybe not tonight. We can finish off these cookies and milk though." Pausing, he added "Thank you Amelia for everything tonight. I really appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it, really," she insisted with a hug.

=/\= End Log =/\=

Lt Commander Amelia Waterhouse
Executive Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

Lieutenant Rotek
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

 

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