It felt lonely in Harringtons quarters. Perhaps it was because he had just come off an extra long shift in Sickbay, and too tired to complete the research in front of him. Or perhaps it was because of the holo picture of his family at Harry’s graduation that was sitting on his desk. For a Starfleet Graduate she didn’t look that impressed, but the younger version of David was beaming enough for the two of them. It was just another pathetic reminder of the distance that had grown between his sister. A reminder of everything he had lost. Not just when she disappeared, but long before that. When she went missing, he hadn’t just lost her but he’d lost his chance of repairing his relationship with her…

But he couldn’t just get rid of all her pictures either. Not when the ones - like the one on his desk - served in memory of everything she’d done that had made her older brother proud. She might not have thought much of her graduating the Acadamy, but David had. In fact he still did. He knew that her path hadn’t been laid as smoothly as his had. Yet, when the going got tough she knuckled down and she got it done. Which was much more than what David could say he had done. He had been on the Viking for months now and he was no closer to finding her. His only leads were an Ensign Loki and a Reira Akaba, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to talk to either of them. Too scared they would agree with his parents that his sister was dead. Harry wouldn’t have let that kind of fear stop her. But David just couldn’t. She had soared where he had failed and she didn’t even know it.

The Golden Child had become Disgraced, and the Disgraced Child had become Beloved.

“Computer run video Harrington Hotel Alpha Romeo Romeo Yankee Three” David ordered, pushing himself away from the desk and walking over to where his screen was.
*An image of a young boy, no more than 11 years old appeared. His eyes had the trademark Harrington green in them that gave away his identity as he backed away from the camera. “Bree get over here!” Young David yelled, “I think I’ve got it working!” In the background there was the patter of little feet, and the young boy was joined by a girl no more than 7 or 8. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail but it was more out of it than in it. “Ohhh yay!” She jumped enthusiastically, nearly falling into the young boy.. “What are you going to film first Davie?”

The little boy looked thoughtful and solomn for a moment, “Us!” he said brightly, after a few moments, “So then we can show our kids what we were like,”

The little girl who would one day grow up to be Harry giggled, “Then they will know that you are the bestest big brother in the whole galaxy,” she proclaimed proudly, waving her arms around excitedly as if to demonstrate just how big the expanse of her brothers greatness was. “And when we grow up we are both going to be Starfleet Captains and we will save the universe together,”

“Yes,” young David agreed, a smirk spreading across his face, that young Harry couldn’t see, “But you’ll have to save yourself first,” he said as he launched himself at his younger sibling.

The girl shrieked as she went down, “Davvviieee,” she whined between giggles as Davids fingers met their target. She squirmed, “No fair!” -*

• “Computer pause video.” David ordered. Instantly the two playing figures froze on screen. Both children wore matching happy smiles. They looked so carefree and innocent in a way that made his chest ache. His eyes suddenly felt heavy, and as he reached up to rub them, he was shocked to find his cheeks moist. In a few weeks it would be 3 years since his baby sister had gone missing.

A piece of him was jealous of the two children on the screen. They had no idea of what pain the future had in store for them. They were just two children who dreamed of the great acomplishments they would make together when they grew up. Both of them longing to follow in their parents footsteps. Certain that they would achieve just as much as Picard, Kirk, Janeway, Sisko, Archer, their parents… and so many others. Neither knowing of the distance that would make its way between them, pushing them further and further apart.

“Where did you go Bree?” He whispered into the room. It was nearly 3 years since she’d disappeared and this was the closest he’d been to her since they were children.

Harrington
Doctor