Posted by Civilian Sharah Fayth (Director of Medical and Social Services) in I Have Something To Tell You

Posted by Civilian Yavia Crockett (Nurse - Sacred Heart Hospital) in I Have Something To Tell You

Posted by Civilian Yavia Crockett (Nurse - Sacred Heart Hospital) in I Have Something To Tell You
Posted by… suppressed (22) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Sharah returned home, early and quite unexpected. Charles and Yavia were both at work, and so it was just his family there. She’d sort of forgot that. Or she hadn’t included that in her plans. They were flimsy plans and more like the inkling of an idea. She walked in, and as always, trailed her fingers over Hope’s leaves. “Sharah!” Mary got up and hurried over to grab her in a huge hug. Sharah returned it. Abigail smiled quietly at her with a quiet “hello”. His father was always quiet, but warm. Donna respected the space that Sharah needed, but Sharah knew if she wanted to, Donna would hug her and never let go. “You’re home early.”

Sharah swallowed, “I was able to leave early today. Don’t let me interrupt your plans.” Donna shooed Mary away. “Let the poor girl go get relaxed. You can hang on her later.” Mary laughed and let her go. “Okay, but only for a moment.”

“I’m going to shower, but then I’ll come back up.” Sharah wasn’t sure how she would pull this off, but she liked his family too much to not spend a little more time with them.

When she opened the door after shower and changing, Donna was standing there. “Sharah, I think you need to talk.” That was how it all worked out. She told Donna everything. She hadn’t had to worry about it. She’d simply gone up stairs and said Sharah needed to rest and they were going out. Donna told her bye before they left, assuring her they would be out all night.

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, SFCMO

The car had picked Yavia up from the hospital and now they were sitting outside the CCDA building where TK would transport down. She was agitated. Impatient for him to get there so they could get home.

When he slid into the slider, it all rushed out. “Dr. Korczak had Sharah in the neurology department for over an hour, running tests today. Afterwards she disappeared. She left work. She hasn’t answered her comms.”

Yavia

Charles’s face darkened slightly, but he took Yavia’s hand in his and said “Ok. Take a breath, darlin’. If it was bad- bad, we’d ‘a known by now. And I do know she went and saw the Governor today. About what I dunno, but she wasn’t there long.” His brain started clicking pieces of seemingly unrelated events together. Scuttlebutt had Star Fleet losing a high ranking officer; but who wasn’t clear. Smart money was saying it was McBride. But there had also been a flash before he left his office that a new Director of some flavor had been hired. But with all the vacant seats and such, Tenkiller would be hard pressed to figure out which one. And he hadn’t had a background request in a few weeks, so as far as he knew no one was even in the pipeline. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Let’s just get home. If’n she ain’t there when we get back, I’ll ping her locator and send some folks to go take a look.” He opened his eyes and looked at Yavia. “Don’t stress, love. We’ll figure it out, okay? Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow.” and he squeezed her hand.

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

“Okay,” Yavia wasn’t one to borrow trouble. Dramatic - yes, fierce - absolutely, waiting for doomsday - never. This was Sharah though. She’d been through so much and was better. It scared her that Sharah had disappeared, more that she wasn’t answering her comms. She couldn’t sense her either. Sharah was probably wearing that headband. Yavia had been grateful for the reprieve for Sharah, but now she hated it.

The car finally pulled around behind the house and Yavia practically jumped out of the slider. She bounded up the steps and opened the door. “Donna?! Is Sharah home?” Except there was no answer. The Tenkillers weren’t there. There was a note on the counter in his father’s hand writing. Your mother said Sharah wasn’t feeling well, so we went out. The girls want to go see the night life. If I survive we’ll be back late.

Yavia

Hearing their voices, Sharah had removed the headband. She knew Yavia had messaged her several times, and not answer would upset her. But Sharah wouldn’t be able to keep the secret from Yavia if she did. This had to be done together. She knew, she hoped, Yavia would forgive her once she knew.

Charles read the note over her shoulder and grunted softly. “Wait here, love.” and he stepped past her and went downstairs.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked down the hall. “Sharah? Honey? You here?” He waited for an answer.

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

At the bottom of the stairs were two things. The first was a long roll of white paper covered in painted bare foot prints. The second thing was a trail of dehydrated paw-paws. The trails led to their bedroom door. The light was off, but there was a soft glow coming from under the door.

Sharah felt both their immediate concern and worry. She got the flash of details of the note from both of them. Oh dear. She hadn’t counted on anyone leaving a note. “I’m here!” she called. “I’m okay. In our bedroom.”

Yavia was not going to wait even though TK said to. She heard Sharah’s voice and hurried down the stairs to him. Staring at the trail and blinked in confusion. “What?”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, SFCMO

Charles could tell from Sharah’s tone that she was excited about something. He smiled and looked at V. “See? Nothin’ ta worry over. Let’s go see what’s got her all riled up.” and he chuckled.

Yavia breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded. “It had better be good for scaring me like that.” It was an empty threat. Maybe - Yavia might tickle her until she was sufficiently tortured.

He took V’s hand and led her down the hall. The door slid open silently and he said “Hun, ya better tell us what in the absolute hell is goin’ on ‘fore V here vibrates outta her skin.” He smiled and leaned in and gave Yavia a kiss on the cheek.

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

Yavia leaned against Charles, the relief of seeing Sharah was alright momentarily requiring support. Then she noticed the room. Sharah was sitting in the middle of their massive bed. The lights were off, but the room was glowing. Bioluminescently glowing.

Months ago TK had asked Sharah to recreate her own room, here for them to share together. Sharah had done it. Yavia hadn’t even known she was working on it. Moss peeked and winked out at them from between the wood paneling on the walls. Ivy trailed across the artwork and wound up the legs of the furniture. Glass globes were suspended along the wall holding air plants and succulents that glowed with almost mystical fairy like properties. Hanging down from the ceiling were trailing flowers that created a canopy over the bed. Passion flower vines from Oklahoma, The Muktok plant from Betazed (a flowering plant with narrow orange to purple petals. Betazed. Muktok plants lived to be hundreds of years old, and produced a pleasant scent and their flowers chimed lightly when shaken), and silk love tulips from Delta IV.

Yavia

Charles looked around, a look of amazement on his face.

Sharah held her hands out. “Come here, please.” She was nervous, it was clear. They could almost feel it. There was uncertainty and nerves and anxiousness, and excitement. “I need to talk to you both. And I know you’re mad at me Yavia. I’m sorry luv, but I had to wait. Just… just let me get it all out and then…then you can yell, okay?”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, SFCMO

Charles moved towards her and took one her hands in his own. He looked at her and said “Sharah, honey… You know we ain’t gonna yell.” He sat down beside her on the bed and patted the other side of her for Yavia. “Ok, hun… ya got us here and most definitely got our attention. What’s on your mind?”

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

Sharah grabbed each of their hands and blew out a nervous breath. “So,” how did she start? She hadn’t really thought this through. “Umm.”

Yavia squeezed her hand and glanced at Charles, but didn’t say anything.

Sharah squeezed both their hands again. “So, when, when you brought me here, I really wasn’t okay. I couldn’t really take care of myself. You both wanted me to stay here and, well through all of it I could hear, you know, how you kept having these thoughts of me staying as long as I wanted, until I was better, not really thinking past that. And I assumed once I was better, I’d have to leave. That I wouldn’t stay. This was temporary.”

Yavia opened her mouth, but before she could speak Sharah kissed her gently. “Let me finish.” She leaned over and kissed Charles too. “I wasn’t in a healthy place. I couldn’t see past the immediate. It wasn’t either of you. I kind of just of existed for a while and then just lived each day. It was too scary to think about anything too far into the future. I wasn’t ready.” Her voice was taking on that nervous rambling cadence, her speech picking up a bit.

“Until last week. Things changed.” She looked at Charles, something so much more than love in her eyes, “I wasn’t hiding, I promise. I just, at first was going to talk to you both about it, but it was really something I needed to decide how I felt and what I wanted before I did. I needed to take that ownership of it. So I took the time to think about it and decide.” She smiled sheepishly at Yavia. “I know you knew something was going on and I wouldn’t talk to you. I… needed to think it out on my own.”

“A week ago, Captain McBride called me to his office. My term of service is up in 5 weeks. I had to decide if I was going to reup. I didn’t know what I was going to do. See, when I signed up for Star Fleet, I knew my life span was short. My super-sensitivity, wears on the brain and the body, forcing it to deteriorate too fast. I’ve already lived long past most children like me. I am one of 3 in the last century to reach adult hood. So when I signed up I choose the shortest term of service. I knew I wouldn’t be alive to sign up for another one.” There was pain and fear choking her voice now. Tears pooled a bit in her eyes.

“So I had to decide if I was going to stay. But then Captain McBride told me if I did I would be transferred off Oed. And I don’t want that. I want to stay. I love my work here and my friends and my life and you are both my life. But I thought that might be really selfish of me to stay because I know I’m dying. Abigail was really up set when I told her that. That I was putting you through that, even though I had told you,” Sharah said to Charles. “So I thought maybe it would be best if I did get transferred, rather than making you two watch what was going to happen to me. And I know that is your choice not mine, and it was really selfish on my part because I didn’t want to feel it. I didn’t want to hear your thoughts as you sat by me and watched. But…then today…I found something else out.”

“I had my regular counseling appointment with Korczak. I told him about my tour of duty being up and we talked about it. I told him I wanted to stay on Oed even if I had to leave Star Fleet. Then I told him how tired and lethargic I’ve been. It’s hard for me to wake up and I was worried. So he took me to neurology and ran a bunch of tests.” Her hands squeezed theirs almost painfully. “Ummm, I can show you the scans, but they weren’t what we were expecting. Umm,” she blew out a shaky breath with a little laugh. “My brain is healing. Not just a little bit, but a lot. He, he thinks it’s the headband,” she nodded her hand to the box on the side table where it sat. “He did the scans while I was wearing it. We were able to see how it was giving my mind a reprieve and allowing it to do what it does naturally. He wants to run more tests, but he thinks in six months the damage will be gone.” Her voice shook. This was a life altering piece of information.

“So, ummm, I told Captain McBride I was resigning and then, well I went to see Governor Hyrushi. He gave me the head band and we’ve been working on a project somewhat connected to it. I wanted to tell him, but more I wanted him to know I was leaving Star Fleet. Things with the colony are so iffy with Fleet, I wanted him to know. And I know you might be upset I told him first, but I really needed to be able to tell you both together, and I knew my resignation would get out quickly. And ummm… he asked me what I was going to do.” She bit her lip and rolled her shoulders a bit. “He offered me a job as the Director of Medical and Social Services. I accepted.”

Charles had remained quiet, knowing Sharah needed to unburden herself and express all she needed to. Inside, though, his heart raced and he was giddy with happiness. He looked at Yavia and grinned. “You’re totally bangin’ your boss!” and he laughed loudly.

TK’s happiness fueled her own, making Yavia laugh just a bit wilder than necessary. “Well that is a first for me.” She had a million questions to ask, and she certainly wanted to talk to Korczak. She knew Sharah would tell her everything she knew, but she still wanted to hear it from Sharah’s doctor.

“I know this is a huge decision and you have a right to be part of it. And if it’s not okay, I’ll figure something out. But…ummm…” now she got really anxious. Yavia could feel it, even Charles could, it shivered through their connection. “I, umm, I need to ask you both something.”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, DoMSS

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

Yavia reached out and gently touched Sharah’s temple. “You can ask us anything, Sweetheart. Whatever it is, we’re here.” She reached over and took TK’s other hand, “Our circle. We’re complete together.”

Yavia

“Our Circle.” Sharah looked at them both, holding their hands firmly. “Well, umm… I…” Sharah’s hands were starting to feel a bit clamy. “I’m staying on Oed. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I… I want a home and a future and a family. I’m hoping, I want, you both to be all of that. I mean you are, already, but ummm,” She gently tugged her hands away from theirs and slipped her hands under the blanket. “Iwasreallyhopingyoubothmightwanttomarryme.” It all rushed out in one breath and a nervous catch to her voice. With shaking hands she pulled two packages from under the blanket.

The one she handed to Charles was wrapped in dark brown tissue paper. Donna had actually helped her with it. Both gifts were something Sharah had been thinking about and working on quietly.

Inside was a Choker: Donna called it the “Path of the Sky and Earth.” The width was 3 to 4 rows of beads, about 1.5 inches wide— with Red (Courage and protection), Blue (Loyalty and peace), White (Purity and truth), Black (Strength and resilience), Green (Growth and harmony), Yellow (Wisdom and clarity) beads that were bold yet elegant.

It would fit snuggly around the neck, symbolizing closeness and protection. Traditional leather ties made up the closure. It was sewn onto a soft leather strap with Bone Hair Pipes hanging from the bottom for strength and ancestral connection. A single red stone hung off the center one.

The bead design was three hearts. Donna had told her it represented love, family, and spiritual connection. There was a metal disk in the center representing the sun. It was a design that wives often made for their husband’s. Sharah didn’t have an uncle that Charles Uncle could negotiate with, so Donna had said this was just as good.

Charles stared at it for a long moment in silence. When he looked up, his eyes were wet with tears. “Sharah… Love… You have no idea what this means to me.” He picked it up and traced his fingers along the beading and smiled. He leaned forward and kissed her.

Sharah really didn’t know exactly what that all meant to him, but she could feel it. She knew it would be the right thing to give him, she just hoped she hadn’t messed up any of the symbolism. She really wanted it right. Of course she was lucky that Donna had been willing to help her. Sharah’s hands ran up his arms, he could feel the nervous tremble in them. She kissed Charles back, it was a promise and offering of things Sharah never knew she had to give.

Yavia was shocked into silence. Did Sharah really say what she thought she said? Did she really ask them to marry her? Yavia pinched herself just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She watched as TK unwrapped his gift and his reaction. Feeling his reaction was almost over whelming. She stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt the moment. They were all part of it, but there was beauty and wholeness in knowing how much they loved each other.

When the kiss ended, Sharah bit her lower lip just a little, looking into his eyes. “Is that a yes?” Her voice held all her nervousness and hope.

Yavia’s gift was slightly smaller, wrapped in metallic tissue paper. Inside was a Deltan Necklace of Union. It was an ancient tradition that was mostly considered fairy tale now.

For Sight it had Rainbow Crystals representing the full spectrum of shared emotion. For Sound there was a Harmonic Whisper Chamber hidden within the central crystal is a resonance node that emits a gentle, private chime when the partner is near or emotionally attuned. The crystals were lined with a special scented coating. Yavia’s favorites. And each stone had a different texture. The bottom crystal was the smallest crystal—designed for ceremonial kisses—had a faint, sweet floral taste symbolizing devotion and joy.

The silver chain was braided, with a pendant made of silver metal work curved like waves. A central stone, like an undulating opal, drew the eyes, with seven stones worked through out the rest of the pendant.

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, DoMSS

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

Yavia stared at the necklace, slowly lifting it in her palm. She’d seen them in a museum once. The individual pieces and the technology behind some of it, were common on Delta, but not like this. They had ‘evolved above the base need to pledge themselves to only one person.’ Yavia thought that was miyounun poop. It was beautiful. As she lifted it, the harmonic whisper chamber of the central stone began to hum softly. It was beautiful and thoughtful, and the scents were divine. All the things she liked, and not just exoctic things, but things that reminded her of home, their home.

Yavia lifted her eyes to Sharah, who was watching her with such obvious nervousness. “This took you more than a week to acquire. We’ll talk about that later, Sweetheart.” Yavia took Sharah’s hand and tugged Sharah against her. Her hands threaded into her thick locks as she kissed her. It was quick but adoring. She pulled back and stared into Sharah’s obsidian eyes. “Yes, Sharah, I’ll marry you.” She kissed her again then let her go. “Now put this on!” Yavia insisted with a giddy laugh as she spun around so Sharah could clasp the necklace around her.

Yavia

Charles laughed and said “I guess it’s unanimous, because I certainly will say yes.”

The way Yavia kissed her was different but equally wonderful and she offered up the same promises and hopes to Yavia. She stared into those compassionate eyes that only saw truth and then let out a giddy laugh when Yavia said yes. The second kiss was too short, but Sharah could only laugh at Yavia’s enthusiasm. She took the necklace and very carefully laid the pendent against Yavia’s skin and pulled the chain around to clasp it. It took a minute, Sharah’s hands were shaking trying to work the delicate clasp. “There.”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, DoMSS

Charles watched the exchange and smiled. He has never been happier than at that moment, right then. Suddenly his eyes widened and he said “Oh hell! I forgot! Hang on!” and he jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

Sharah looked at Yavia and leaned in and kissed her one more time. “It looks really beautiful on you.”

“I love it, Sweetheart.” Yavia lifted it in her hand and then laughed as the scents embedded in it hit her nose. “TK’s cologne? and pawpaws? your shampoo and… trees and grass?” She touched Sharah’s hand, “All my favorite things.”

A few minutes later he came back in carrying a small black lacquered box. He climbed back into the bed where he had previously been sitting and smiled at Sharah and Yavia. “Since we’re on the subject…” He opened the box and inside were three smaller boxes. He lifted two out and handed one to each woman.

Sharah took the box, holding it like it was the most delicate thing in the world. She opened it slowly as if the air itself might damage whatever was inside.

Yavia was not nearly as cautious. She took the box and opened it immediately. “Oh! Beautiful!” She moved the box around watching the facets.

When the lids were flipped open, inside each was a ring. The two rings were almost identical. The metal bands, each made of bright silvery, a deep reddish, and darker gray metals, were an intricate knot-like pattern that seemed to flow one metal into the other two over and over again. There was also a center stone in each flanked by what seemed to be small, octagonal pieces of red pottery. But the center stones is where the two rings differed.

For Yavia, the center stone was jet black; but when the light hit it just so, faint silvery curved lines could be seen inside it. “Betazoid Agate.” Charles said softly. “Mined from a spot about two kilo eaters from where Sharah grew up. Her brother arranged to get it sent over when I asked for Sarah’s hand.”

Eilah? Eilah knew and didn’t say anything to her? She wasn’t sure if she wanted to throttle her brother or hug him and cry.

“Oh you’re sneaky TK. You’ve been keeping secrets too!” Yavia was delighted and laughed. “It’s beautiful.”

For Sharah, the center stone looked like water. Every movement made the stone seem to flow in myriad directions, but somehow magically staying in the shape it was in. “Deltan Ocean Diamond. That one came from Yavia’s grandmother. She sent it to me when I asked for her for her hand.”

Sharah looked at it with a soft gasp. “It’s beautiful.” She tilted the ring back and forth watching the way it moved and shifted and how the refraction of light shifted even when it was still.

“Oh my gran is going to be insufferable when she gets here. I love it.” If Yavia was outrageous her grandmother was the one who taught her.

Charles reached into the boxes and took the rings out, sliding one on each of the women’s finger. “Ladies… Loves… I can’t think of any better life than one with y’all. And it would be my deepest honor if I could ask you both to marry me, too.”

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

“Yes,” The word burst out of Sharah before he could even finish speaking. She bit her lip softly with a sheepish smile on her face. The ring felt heavy on her finger like a piece of her was missing before and now it wasn’t.

“So eager and happy. I like it,” Yavia laughed and bumped Sharah’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. Yavia gently touched TK’s temple, “Yes, TK I’ll marry you. Without question.” She looked at Sharah and winked and leaned in to kiss TK on the corner of his mouth.

Sharah leaned in at the same time as Yavia and kissed him on one corner of his mouth. Unafraid this time, Sharah let her emotions stretch out and wrap them all up together, sharing the depth of their feelings together. She was safe here, loved, cherished. She had a future with them because of them. She kissed him once again deeply and then Yavia.

She sat back and picked up the beaded chocker from beside Charles. “May I?”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, DoMSS

Yavia chuckled. “Well I have something for you, that I was working on for your birthdays, but they aren’t done. So you’ll just have to wait,” she said with a little sass. “So I’ll just be the pampered princess fiancé. I got two proposals and two fiancés in one day. OH!” She sat up a bit straighter with a grin, “I get to design the wedding rings.” Of course Yavia’s curiosity wouldn’t be ignored. “What’s in the third box?” she pointed at the other small box.

Yavia

Charles grinned and said “Well it wouldn’t be right if’n y’all had engagement rings and I didn’t, so…” He lifted out the third box and opened it. Inside was a wide band made of the same three metals, and insert in the center of the band was a larger octagonal piece of the red pottery; but on either side was a smaller version of the two center stones his fiancees had. “The red is clay from Oklahoma. It’s from my family’s ranch, actually. Mary baked it into tiles for all of us.”

Tenkiller - VC, CCDA

Yavia smiled, she practically glowed. She loved them, all the pieces of them together.

Sharah laughed nervously. “Well, ummm, that would explain why Mary didn’t insist on ‘checking on me’ when your mother told her they were going out and to leave me be. I love them. Here.” Sharah moved behind him and lifted his hair over his shoulder before tying the ends of the choker. She had to fiddle with the collar of his uniform to get it to sit right. Then she kissed him just below his ear before gently pulling his hair back into place. “Your mom helped me with it a little. I hope I got it right.”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, DoMSS

Yavia took his ring out of the box and settled directly in front of him. She took his hand and stared into his eyes, her own dancing with happiness and mirth. “Charles Tenkiller, TK, will you marry me?” she asked before slipping the ring onto his finger.

Yavia

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