<snip>

Danny O’Connell smiled. Shaun was his favorite nephew. While his nieces pointed out all the time shaun was Danny’s only nephew, Danny would roll his eyes and laugh harder. The truth was Shaun was Danny’s favorite out of the bunch it just sounded nicer to say it was because Shaun was his nephew. “So ‘av yer foun’ yerself a nice lassy ter settle down wi’ since dat red ‘eaded she divil decided ter dork yer over last year. Oi swear if it weren’t for yisser marryin’ dat O’Neill fella we wud ban de name ‘ere. Excpet for de song we sin’ whaen we git trollied. it goes loike dis ‘Kate Kate if yer tink yer gonna git,” Danny began to sing just as Shaun heard the sound of his door swish open.

“Shaun, I’m back,” Kate yelled happly entering the room.

“So waaat can oi do for yer Shaun… Red ‘eaded she divil ,” Danny said pourng himself a glass whiskey.

Danny O’Connell

“I prefer the term prevaricator. It means to act or speak in an evasive way. Can’t get much more evasive than not showing up to your own wedding right Uncle Danny,” Kate shot back taking a seat on Shaun’s knee. It was a silly gesture but she was a bit nervous as to what Danny might say. Having Shaun’s arms around her always made her feel safe. She did not like the term red headed she devil but Kate also could not fault Danny and the rest of the O’Connell clan for using it. The only thing she could do was try to make a joke of it and spend the rest of her life trying to find some way into their good graces.

“Uncle Danny, you remember Kate right?” Shaun said as he looked over at Kate then back at Danny.

“De red ‘eaded lass dat fifty yer up at yisser own weddin’. Aye oi tink oi might mind ‘er,” Danny rolled his drink in his hand and nodded. “Aye scon are jist kinda wonderin’ why she is perched on yisser knee dare son,” Danny stated knowing the obvious answer to his question.

“The… red ‘eaded she divil? We are, together again.” he said not sure how he would react.

O’Connell, Doctor

“Yer ‘av more shag drive than brains,” Danny said setting the cup down with a clink. “So is dare wha yer are tellin’ me yer two are givin’ it another go an’ de weddin’ date is next week . Yer are gonna show up dis time Katie correct?”

While this was Kate’s idea for a romantic Irish getaway she did for the first time in a long time stay quiet and nudge Shaun to speak for them.

Lt. Kate O’Neill COS

“She’ll show, and you’ll be nice. I don’t need everyone in the clan yipping and hollering cause we got back together, had enough trouble keeping the brewery open and I won’t be having you spoiling it. We just need some time away, away from Starfleet to reconnect and we figured Ireland was far better.” Shaun said, his authoritative stance was clear to his Uncle Kate was his girl, and he wasn’t going to stand for anyone talking down to her.

O’Connell, Doctor

“Aye laddie,” Danny said staring at his nephew. Whatever was going to happen between him and the O’Neill lass would happen. Shaun was young, hot-headed, and brash much like the rest of the O’Connell clan. He was also in love with which meant nothing would change his mind. “T’be sure yer an’ our Katie bug are alwus failte ‘ere. Yisser can stay in de main hous or in cushlamachree. ‘av a safe trip an’ clap yer whaen yer git ‘ere ,” Danny said clicking off the comm line on his end resulting in Kate and Shaun seeing only the Federation insignia fill the screen. If someone had overheard Danny’s offer of a place other than his home, they might doubt the sanity of the couple’s choice in romantic getaways but the Cush as the family called it was a small intimate cottage on the family estates. Its name meant vein of my heart and only certain people were allowed there.

“Maybe Ireland isn’t the best place for us,” Kate said in a neutral tone. “Let’s go to Andoria instead. We can practice being Eskimos.” Pressing her nose to his Kate playfully rubbed it back and forth. “You know I look best in fall and winter wear.” Even though Danny offered the cottage, Kate felt squirmy about the situation now that plans were in effect. Shaun’s family had every reason to be miffed at her but that didn’t make it easier to accept. She needed to find a way to convince Shaun that Ireland was not off the table after talking to his uncle but make him think it was his idea and not hers.

“Or we could go back home. Stay in that treehouse,” Kate kissed his lip softly and bit it pulling back so she tugged it slightly. “We spent hours there doing nothing…and everything,” she waggled her eyebrows. Deciding that she needed to be a bit more firm in her choice she announced, “I vote peanut butter and jelly and the treehouse. I’ll go call my mom.” Kate reached forward to activate the comm unit. At least in Pennsylvania, she was on home turf and her family sympathized with Shaun not blamed him.

Lt. Kate O’Neill, COS

“Don’t let Danny scare you. He is a lot of hot air and quick temper, but he cools off very fast. We can go there, and maybe get your ring resized…” Shaun said, this was the first time in some time he had mentioned their former engagement. They settled quickly into lovers, and for almost every manner outside of her wearing the ring again. He felt a little uneasy as he said that, it wasn’t that he didn’t want this. He had always loved his Katie from a very young age. It was more he wasn’t certain what she felt, did she truly wish to get back? Was she still working through it all. Her departure left a hole and while it mended with time as she settled back in his arms he knew he was still very much gun shy from before.

O’Connell, Doctor