Secrets
There is quite a bit of angst in this and a
surprise. There is one spoiler from Taking Wing (based on the
excerpt at the end of A Time for War a Time for Peace) and my
speculation as to who the Titan's first officer will be.
Disclaimers: Please Paramount this is my creation. Some of the
characters are yours, some are Andy Mangels' and Michael Martin's,
I'm not sure who another's is, and some are mine. I'm getting no
money from this - just enjoyment.
Rating: PG
Secrets - Part 1
"Counselor's Personal Log Stardate 41625.3 – The Titan is on it's
way
to Earth for some upgrades and R&R for the crew who have been working
extremely hard over the last 18 months with the situation with the
Romulans and other tense first contact missions.
On a more serious note, I'm a bit worried about Will. He hasn't been
himself lately. He seems tired and has complained of headaches.
Communicating telepathically has been difficult for him. He hasn't
said anything but I think he's also having some back and muscle
pain. He won't go to Dr. Ree because he says it's just stress. Will
hasn't been exactly comfortable with Dr. Ree since we left space
dock. I'm hoping I can convince him to go see Beverly when we get to
Earth."
Counselor Deanna Troi-Riker leaned back in her chair. She couldn't
wait to get back to Earth to see Beverly Crusher. She smiled as she
remembered the surprise she had for Beverly. It hadn't been easy to
keep a secret from Beverly but in a few short days, she would be able
to reveal her secret to her closest friend.
"Vale to Troi."
"Go ahead, Christine."
"Captain Riker just left the bridge. I think he's feeling worse than
he has over the last week or so. He looked a bit feverish and seemed
like he may have been a bit dizzy when he stood up. I tried to get
him to go to Sickbay but he wouldn't listen."
"OK. I'll see what I can do. Thanks."
She shook her head. Will could be so stubborn at times especially
when it came to his health. She called up the duty roster for
Sickbay and noticed that Dr. Martin was on duty. Maybe she could
convince Will to see a human doctor if he didn't feel comfortable
with Dr. Ree. She got up and started to get dinner ready. She had
just finished putting dinner on the table when Will walked in. One
look at him convinced her that she was either going to talk him into
going to Sickbay or have Dr. Martin come to their quarters. Will was
flushed and he was in obvious pain. As he walked in, he grabbed a
chair to steady himself. Deanna went over to him and helped him sit
down on the sofa. "You really should go to Sickbay. Dr. Martin is
on duty if you would prefer him to Dr. Ree."
"I'm just tired."
"You wouldn't have a fever if you were just tired. Come on, why
won't you admit that you're sick?"
"Because I'm not." He started to get up but collapsed back on to
the
sofa. Deanna shook her head and went to the bedroom for the medical
tricorder she kept in the bedside table.
When she returned, Will had lay down on the sofa. She ran the
tricorder over him. "Your temperature is 101 degrees. Tell me again
that you're not sick. Please will you go see Dr. Martin if not for
yourself then for me and our son or daughter."
"OK, but I'm not sure I can walk to Sickbay under my own power."
"Then I'll have Dr. Martin come here." She tapped her com
badge. "Troi to Sickbay."
"Sickbay here." Dr. Ree answered.
"Dr. Ree, could you have Dr. Martin come to our quarters. Will is
sick and can't get there on his own power."
"I'll arrange a site-to-site transport for the captain and have Dr.
Martin standing by."
"Thank you." Deanna looked at Will who appeared to be sleeping. She
felt his forehead which was hot to her touch. She hoped Will hadn't
been able to tell how worried she was about him. She felt the
familiar tingling of the transporter taking Will and her to Sickbay.
When they rematerialized in Sickbay, Dr. Martin began a thorough exam
of Will.
"Counselor, what have Captain Riker's symptoms been?" Dr. Ree asked.
"He's had a headache, been extremely tired, and I think he's been
experiencing some back and muscle pain. Today was the first time
he's had a fever though."
"How long has he been experiencing these symptoms?
"About a week or 10 days. I couldn't get him to come to Sickbay
until today when he could barely stand up on his own."
Dr. Martin turned to Deanna after finishing his
examination. "Nothing jumps out at me as to what is causing Captain
Riker's symptoms. I'm going to have to perform further tests. I am,
however, going to have to reduce his temperature. It is currently
101.5 degrees."
"That's up a half degree in the last 15 minutes! What can I do?"
Before Dr. Martin could answer, Dr. Ree said. "Relax. We'll do
whatever is necessary to bring his temperature down. You have
yourself and your little one to worry about." He chuckled. "He may
even appreciate my cold hands now. Why don't you go relax in my
office? We'll let you know what we find."
"Dr. Ree, I would rather wait here."
"OK. Hop up on that biobed and relax." She sat on the biobed Dr.
Ree indicated. He ran a tricorder over her. "You're both fine, but
the baby seems a bit agitated. Why don't you try some Betazoid
relaxation techniques to calm both of you down? I'm going to run
Captain Riker's symptoms through the database while Dr. Martin runs
his tests and attempts to bring down his fever. We'll figure this
out and then we'll be able to help him."
"OK."
Thirty minutes later, Dr. Martin finished his tests. "Counselor,
I've finished my tests and would like to discuss the results with Dr.
Ree."
"What did you find?"
"I would rather discuss this with Dr. Ree first then we can both
discuss the results and treatment with you."
"Dr. Martin, I've got to know what's wrong." Deanna started to
become agitated.
"Counselor, we will tell you after we've discussed the results. We
won't keep you in the dark. You need to relax."
"How can I relax when my husband is ill?"
"We'll do whatever it takes to help him. We all like and respect
Captain Riker. Please relax. We'll be back shortly."
Dr. Martin went into Dr. Ree's office and closed the door. "What
have you found?" Dr. Ree asked.
"I'm not quite sure. His symptoms are consistent with several
illnesses – some serious, some not. His other symptoms are
consistent with Parlon's Syndrome."
"I agree. It's very rare and genetic. I looked up Captain Riker's
medical history as well as his parent's medical histories. His
mother's history is sealed. She died when he was 2 but there is no
reason given. His father died almost 2 years ago in a sniper attack."
"Is it possible Captain Riker's mother died of Parlon's Syndrome?"
"I believe it's likely. I'm hoping his wife can tell us."
They went out to Deanna who was sitting anxiously on the
biobed. "What is it?"
"We believe Captain Riker may be suffering from Parlon's Syndrome."
Dr. Ree said
"I've never heard of it."
"It's a very rare genetic illness that attacks the victim's blood
stream and immune system."
"Is it curable?"
"Yes with a bone marrow transplant from a person that is an exact
match. The success rate is much higher with a blood relative than
with a non-relative. Does Captain Riker have any living blood
relatives?"
"Yes, he's got cousins and aunts and uncles, but no immediate family."
"Aunts and uncles may work better than cousins. When we get back to
Earth, we'll start testing them to see if any of them are a match.
In the meantime, we'll get his fever down and start checking
Starfleet's records for possible matches."
"Thanks."
"Counselor, do you know why Captain Riker's mother's medical history
is sealed?"
"No. You said Parlon's Syndrome was genetic. Is it possible that
Will's mother died of this?"
"Yes, it's possible. There was no mention of her cause of death on
her death certificate; just that she died of illness. If it was
Parlon's Syndrome, there is no reason to keep it secret, especially
since it is genetic and the captain could easily be a victim also. I
would think his father would have wanted Will to know so he could be
prepared possibly by banking some of his healthy bone marrow in case
it was needed."
"What I don't understand is why Captain Riker's parents didn't bank
the blood from his umbilical cord in case he did develop Parlon's."
Dr. Martin added. "It's a common enough practice especially if there
is the potential for an inherited illness like this." He
smiled. "Needless to say, we will do that when your baby is born."
Deanna smiled. "Thanks."
Dr. Martin ran his tricorder over Will. "His temperature is down a
little. Counselor, you should go back to your quarters and rest.
We'll let you know if there is any change."
"OK. I probably should try to contact some of Will's aunts and
uncles to see if any of them are compatible."
"That's a good idea, but remember to get some rest yourself." Dr.
Ree said.
"I will." Deanna leaned over and kissed Will on the forehead and
went back to her quarters. When she returned, she decided to call
Beverly Crusher hoping she might be able to find out why Will's
mother's records were sealed.
Part 2
When Beverly answered her comm., she smiled when she saw
Deanna. "Deanna, how nice to hear from you. How's my surprise?"
"What surprise?"
"The one you and Will have for me. He told me you two have a
surprise for me. I guessed what it might be. Am I right?"
"Depends on what you think the surprise is."
Beverly rolled her eyes. Obviously, Will's teasing sense of humor
had rubbed off on Deanna. "How far along are you or have you already
had the baby?"
Deanna shook her head. "I'm 6 months along. We would have told you
sooner but we were out of range for live subspace messages. When we
got in range, we found out we were coming to Earth for some
upgrades. Will thought it would be fun to tell you then rather than
via subspace."
"He would." She turned serious. "You didn't just call me to
chat
did you? I can tell from the look in your eyes that something is
wrong. It's not the baby is it?"
"No. Will's very sick. He's got Parlon's Syndrome."
"That's genetic. I don't recall seeing anything in his records about
either of his parents having it."
"Dr. Ree and Dr. Martin believe his mother may have died from it.
Her records are sealed. Do you think you can find out how to get
them opened so we can find out for sure? Will's life and the life of
our baby may depend on it."
"I'll see what I can do. Do you want me to contact Will's aunts and
uncles to see if any of them have compatible bone marrow?"
"I was going to do that after I spoke with you. Can I have them
contact you directly about being tested?"
"Absolutely. If Will's mother had Parlon's, it's possible they were
tested at the time and their records should contain that information –
unless, of course, it's all in Will's mother's records."
"You're right, but if it were in his mother's records, they would
probably remember. Also, we should contact his father's family. His
Aunt Karen and Uncle Joe could also be matches. I'll contact them
and you can contact Will's mother's side."
"OK. I'll talk to you tomorrow ship's time to see how you made
out." She smiled. "In the meantime, you need your rest."
"OK. I'll see you in a few days."
"See you then. Don't worry, Will is going to be just fine."
"Thanks." Deanna signed off. She leaned back in her chair and
rubbed her hand over her abdomen where the baby was doing
somersaults. It felt good to feel her unborn child's movements. She
hoped Will would be around to meet their son or daughter and be a
part of its life. She sat back up and typed in Will's uncle's code.
He smiled when he answered. "Deanna, my dear, how are you and Will?"
"I'm fine, but Will is very sick."
"He's got Parlon's Syndrome doesn't he?"
"Yes. That's what his mother died from isn't it?"
"Yes. None of her family had compatible bone marrow. We even tested
Will. I think that may have something to do with Kyle's lack of
relationship with Will. He was resentful that Will couldn't save his
mother. If you like, I'll get tested and have my children and Karen
and her children tested."
"Thank you. I would appreciate it very much. How long did Will's
mother live after she was diagnosed?"
"About a year. She had 3 transplants from non-blood relatives but
her body rejected all of them. She died during a fourth transplant."
"Can I ask why Kyle didn't have Will's cord blood saved when this
runs in families?"
"Because Kyle thought Will would never get it. He said that Riker
men were too tough to become that ill. He figured Will would die of
old age or be killed in battle."
"I hate to say this but I'm amazed that Will shows so much
sensitivity when his father showed so little."
"That was our doing. I knew Kyle's attitude could one day hurt
Will's relationships with women. Liz was the old-fashioned type.
She was willing to be a stay-at-home mom. Her values were very mid-
20th Century. You don't find too many women like that now so my wife
and I as well as Karen and her husband tried to raise Will to be more
sensitive to women. At times, the way we raised Will caused some
friction among us but we continued anyway." He smiled. "We wanted
to give Will a chance to find true love which obviously he did."
"Thanks. Another thing, do you know why Will's mother's medical
records were sealed?"
Joe hesitated a minute. "No. I'll call Karen and we'll get
ourselves and children tested to see if any of us are compatible with
Will's bone marrow."
"You can contact Dr. Beverly Crusher. She's coordinating the
testing."
"I will. Deanna, we'll do whatever it takes to save Will's life."
"Thanks." She signed off. "What is he keeping from me?"
She
wondered aloud.
Meanwhile, Beverly was talking to Will's aunt. She had already
ascertained that the entire family had been tested as potential
marrow donors for Will's mother and she had gotten the name of the
physician who had cared for Will's mother during her illness. Now
all she needed to do was to find out why Mrs. Riker's medical records
were sealed.
"Do you know why Will's mother's records were sealed?" Beverly asked
Will's Aunt Marie.
She hesitated. "I'm not at liberty to say. We all promised Kyle and
Liz that we would never have Liz's records opened."
"Even if Will's life or the life his unborn child were at stake?"
"Kyle always believed Will would be immune to this illness. Up until
now, the only victims in our family had been women. He also thought
that because Will was a Riker, he would never succumb to illness
until he was elderly."
Beverly was starting to become angry. "I can't believe that you and
your family would be willing to risk Will's life because of a promise
made 45 years ago."
"Doctor, it doesn't matter, none of us were able to save Liz's life.
I don't see why you need to see Liz's medical records when our test
results are not part of the sealed file. Please, don't open old
wounds. If any of us are a match, we'll be willing to help save
Will's life so there is no reason to open Liz's records."
"OK. I'll check with Dr. Harris and let you know. In the meantime,
could I have your children tested as potential donors – especially
the one's younger than Will?"
"Yes. I'll have them contact you." She ended the communication.
Beverly sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. "What could they
be hiding?" She knew there was nothing she could do. She had to
hope that they could find a bone marrow donor for Will.
Two days later, the Titan was just reaching orbit of Earth. Will's
condition had deteriorated and he had slipped into a coma. Dr. Ree
had determined that he had probably been having symptoms for several
weeks but had been able to keep them from Deanna. In the meantime,
two of Will's cousins had been identified as potential donors and
were ready to attempt to save their cousin's life. When the Titan
reached space dock, Dr. Ree and Deanna beamed down to Starfleet
Medical with Will where they were met by Beverly Crusher who drew
Deanna into a hug as she started sobbing.
"Beverly, I'm so scared. I had no idea he had been keeping his
illness from me."
"He didn't want to cause you undue worry. It's also possible that he
had no idea how his mother died and didn't realize he could have the
same illness."
"I know. He kept saying it was just stress and I, like a fool,
believed him. Now, he could die and never meet his child and our
child will never know its father. I can't help but blame myself for
this."
When Dr. Ree had Will hooked up to the monitors, he turned to Beverly
and Deanna. "Doctor, how soon can we do the transplant? I'm not
sure how much longer he can hang on."
"His cousins are here in San Francisco and can be here in a matter of
minutes." She tapped her com badge. "Crusher to Transporter Room
3A, could you transport Captain Riker's cousins directly to Sickbay.
They're standing by."
"Understood."
Part 3
Seconds later, Will's cousins materialized in Sickbay. His cousin,
Lisa, went over to Deanna and hugged her. "We're going to save
Will. I promise." His other cousin, Bob, nodded. Lisa turned to
Dr. Crusher. "I'm going first."
"OK. Nurse, could you help Mrs. Lewis get prepped for her
donation." Beverly said. "Dr. Ree, if you don't mind, I'd like to
do the transplant."
"I assumed you would. Counselor, why don't we wait in Dr. Crusher's
office"?
Deanna nodded and went over to Will and kissed him lightly on the
forehead. "Come back to us." She took his hand and placed it on her
abdomen where their baby was kicking vigorously. She turned and
walked toward Beverly's office.
"Dr. Ree, is it possible that despite the fact that Lisa and Bob are
blood relatives of Will that his body will reject their marrow?"
"Yes. Transplants work more often with immediate family – parents,
siblings, or children – than with other family members. From what I
read of Mrs. Lewis' history, her marrow was a very close match to
Captain Riker's mother's marrow."
Two hours later, Beverly came in her office. She was smiling. "So
far everything is fine. We won't know for several weeks if it was
successful. If his body is going to reject the marrow we'll know
within a few days."
"Beverly, Dr. Ree said that immediate family members make the best
donors. Would it be possible to test the baby to see if he or she is
a match; and if so, take his or her marrow?"
"Deanna, that's extremely risky to the baby prior to birth. You
could lose the baby."
"I just want to save Will's life."
"I know you do, but would he want you to risk your child's life for
his?"
"I don't know. I just know I couldn't go on without him. We could
have other children."
"Deanna, if the baby isn't a match, you could lose Will and the baby."
Deanna started to cry. "I can't lose him. I love him so much."
Beverly pulled Deanna into her arms. "OK, as a last resort, I'll
test the baby. If it's marrow is a match and it can survive
premature birth, we'll give it a shot. Hopefully, it won't be
necessary."
Bob had been listening quietly to the exchange. He knew then he had
to talk to his parents. He knew there was one other potential
donor. He left the office and stopped to see Lisa, who was still
sleeping, then left the building.
The next morning, Beverly was examining Will when she noticed he was
starting to regain consciousness. She smiled. She knew Deanna would
be there soon. Will opened his eyes.
"Hey sleepyhead." Beverly said with a smile.
"Bev, I'm on Earth?" He whispered.
"Yes. Deanna should be here soon." She answered his unasked
question. "I was right about my surprise."
"I thought you might guess. What's wrong with me?"
"You've got Parlon's Syndrome. It's a very rare, genetic illness.
Your mother died from it, but your cousin, Lisa, graciously donated
some of her bone marrow to you. We should know in a few weeks
whether it was successful. If not, your cousin Bob is standing by."
"What if Bob's marrow isn't a match?"
"You've got to think positive. We're also researching potential
donors within Starfleet. You've got too much to live for."
"So did my mother."
"I know. I know you, you're not a quitter. You will survive this."
Deanna came in the room. She smiled when she saw that Will was
awake. "You're awake!"
"Yes. I guess you owe me an `I told you so.'"
"I know I do, but just get better and I'll forgive you for keeping
your illness from me."
He reached up and took her hand. "Promise me that if Lisa's and
Bob's bone marrow doesn't work, you won't resent them like my father
did me because I wasn't a match for my mother."
"I promise, but you have to think positive. One thing I learned in
all my years as a counselor is that a positive attitude can do
wonders for someone's health."
"I'll try." He looked at them curiously noticing how both ladies
were dressed. "Why are you dressed like that?"
"Because, you're susceptible to infection right now and your immune
system is weakened so any infection could be extremely dangerous for
you right now." Beverly explained. "Do you feel up to eating a
little?"
"I guess so."
"We'll try something light at first to make sure you can keep it
down. Deanna, have you eaten breakfast yet?"
"I ate a little but could probably eat some more."
"Gee what a surprise." Will said which earned him a dirty look from
Deanna. In reality, she was glad that his sense of humor had
returned a little. When she first came in the room, she could sense
that he was depressed and a little scared.
"I gather you've been eating more than normal lately?" Beverly asked.
"Yes. As I've tried to explain to my husband, I'm eating for two."
"What would you like?"
"I guess bacon and eggs with some chocolate milk."
"Bev, make sure you throw some lima beans on the eggs."
Deanna shook her head. "I've been craving lima beans over the last
month or so."
Beverly laughed. "I think that can be arranged." She left the room.
Deanna sat down on a chair next to Will's bed. She reached out and
took his hand in her gloved hand. "How are you feeling?"
"A little weak but other than that not too bad."
"Good. I've been worried about you."
"Don't worry too much. You've got our child to think about."
"I am. I've been using Betazoid relaxation techniques to help me.
Mother gave me a few more to calm the baby too." She kissed his
hand. "Would you do me a favor and talk to someone about your
feelings? When I came in the room, I sensed you were depressed and
scared. As I said, positive thoughts can help your recovery."
"Beverly said the same thing. She reminded me I've got a lot to live
for. My mother did too."
"I know; but unlike you, she didn't have family members who were a
match for her bone marrow. Beverly said that's rare but it can
happen. Now, will you talk to a counselor about your feelings?"
"OK."
"Good." She kissed him on the forehead as Beverly came in with their
breakfast.
"Beverly, could I arrange to have a counselor come in. I've
convinced my stubborn husband to talk to someone about his feelings."
"Absolutely, I was going to suggest it myself. Do you want to find
someone or should I? There are several very good counselors here on
staff. I'm sure any one of them would be more than willing to help."
"If you know someone, that will be fine."
"I'll go find someone now. You two eat your breakfast."
"Beverly, how long will Deanna have to dress like this?"
"Until the risk of infection is gone. I hate to say this, but it
could be a few weeks. I'm sure you two will get a chance to spend
some quality time alone before the baby is born." She smiled
mischievously. "I may even have to require you to stay on Earth for
at least 4 or 5 months." When she noticed Deanna's confused
look, "That way, I'll get to deliver your baby."
"One more question Beverly." Will asked. "How soon until I can
have
visitors?"
"Maybe in a few days." She smiled. "I'm sure Christine is handling
the upgrades very well without you. I'll have her contact me if
there is anything you need to know."
"OK."
"Now eat or I'll feed both of you." She left the room.
A month later, Will was starting to show signs that his illness was
returning. His temperature had risen and he was having back and
muscle pain again. Beverly contacted Will's cousin, Bob, who made
arrangements to come to San Francisco for the transplant. Beverly
knew Deanna would try again to have her test the baby and possibly
take some of it's bone marrow for Will. She knew she would have to
attempt to convince Deanna that it was not the best thing to do due
to the risks involved. She was researching other potential donors
when Deanna came in her office.
"How's Will doing?"
"Fair. Bob will be here this evening and we'll do the transplant
then. Will should hang on. Why don't you go see him? He's still
reasonably coherent. It would help him keep a positive outlook
knowing you're here."
"Beverly, what are the chances of Bob's bone marrow's not working
either?"
"About the same as Lisa's. Bob is actually a slightly better match
than Lisa's was."
"Why did you use Lisa's when Bob was a better match?"
"Hers was very close and she insisted and going first. Apparently,
she and Will were very close growing up. Deanna, I really thought
hers would work. I've done transplants whose marrow wasn't as close
as Will's and Lisa's that have been successful."
"Dr. Ree said it had to be an exact match."
"Exact matches work best but they do work when the matches are as
close as Lisa's and Will's are. Bob has an even better shot of
success. His marrow is closer than Lisa's."
"Beverly, we do have another option."
"You're right. We'll do the transplant using Bob's marrow; and if
that doesn't work, we'll see about testing your baby unless I find
another suitable donor first."
"But close relatives work best."
"Yes, but the longer we put off testing and using the baby's marrow,
the better the chance that the baby will survive premature birth.
You're 28 weeks along now. By the time, we see if Bob's marrow will
work, you'll be 32 – 33 weeks along. The baby has a better chance of
surviving at 33 weeks than at 28 weeks. If I find a suitable donor
then, you'll be much closer to full-term by the time we know if the
transplant is successful."
"OK."
"Deanna, you should tell what Will what you're planning. He has a
right to know that his son or daughter could be at risk if you decide
to go through with this."
"I'll tell him after the transplant."
"After this transplant."
"Yes."
"Now go be with Will. Let him see and feel what he's got to look
forward to. I'm worried about his mental state right now. Deb is a
bit concerned also."
"So am I. He appears to have given up hope that he's going to live
long enough to see our child. I tried to tell him that his mother
survived a year with this, but it's not helping at all. I keep
reminding him about everything he has to live for and all he keeps
saying is that his mother did also. I never realized how much he
needed his mother and how much he missed her until now."
"He's got you and your little one now. He's got so much to live for
and you're the one who can convince him of that."
"I'll do it."
Part 4
She left Beverly's office and went to Will's room. He was lying and
staring at the ceiling. Deanna went over and sat on the chair next
to his bed.
"Bob will be here this evening and Beverly will do the transplant
then."
"Will it do any good this time?"
"Beverly's hopeful. Apparently, Bob is a closer match than Lisa was;
but Lisa wanted to go first because you two are so close." She could
sense his despair. "Please will you try for me and our child? I
know you feel your mother had a lot to live for but so do you. I
don't exactly relish the thought of being a single mother. I'm too
young to be a widow." She smiled slightly. "Besides, I look
terrible in black and you hate to see me cry." She reached out and
took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. When he tried to pull
his hand away, she held on even tighter. "This is what you have to
look forward to – our son or daughter. This child needs its father."
"I needed my mother."
"I know you did. We're not sure why your mother died during her
fourth transplant. Her records are sealed, but I can't believe she
would want you to give up. This is her first grandchild and possibly
her namesake. You know how difficult it was for you growing up
without your mother. Do you want our child to grow up without a
father? I certainly don't. We vowed we would be together until we
were both old. Well, neither of us is that old. We'll have a long
time together if you don't give up now."
"OK. I'll try. Would you answer me a question honestly?"
"Sure."
"Are you and the baby OK?"
"We are. I've been using Betazoid calming methods to remain calm and
well as some calming techniques to keep the baby calm." She kissed
him lightly on the forehead. "We'll be fine. We just want you there
when our child is born."
"OK."
Later that afternoon, Beverly came in. "How are you feeling?"
"OK. Has Bob gotten here yet?"
"Not yet. He just left Tulsa and should be here in about an hour.
I'm going to get you prepped for the transplant." She ran her
tricorder over him and smiled a little at the results. "Your vital
signs are a bit better than they were before the first transplant.
Of course, we picked your symptoms up sooner and you're not in a
coma." She said with a smile.
Will smiled. "You wouldn't let me out of here so I could hide my
symptoms from you."
"Your mood is better than it's been the last day or so. I guess
Deanna worked her magic with you."
"Yes. You both were right. I've got too much to live for."
By the time Beverly had finished her examination and prep, Bob had
arrived. He came in Will's room.
"Hey cuz, word has it you need me."
"So I hear. You'll never know how much I appreciate what you and
Lisa are doing for me."
"You're family. You know you're more like a brother to both of us."
Beverly smiled. "I'll let you two talk after the transplant. For
now, let's get going."
"I suppose Deanna will be wearing that unflattering sterile outfit."
"Unfortunately, yes." She smiled mischievously. "Don't worry,
it
won't be too long. I told you that I would find a way for the two of
you to have some quality time together before the baby is born. Bob,
let's get you prepped and let those two have a few minutes together.
When this is over, Deanna will have to wear a mask."
Bob laughed and left the room with Beverly. Deanna leaned over and
kissed Will. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Count on it." He put his hand on Deanna's abdomen. "And I'll
see
you in a couple of months."
Deanna smiled, leaned over and kissed Will again.
"Ahem." Beverly said as she came in the room. "How far would
this
have gone if I had taken longer with Bob?"
"I guess you'll never know." Deanna responded.
Beverly just shook her head. She signaled the two orderlies to move
Will to the sterile suite. Deanna kissed Will one more time. "I'll
see you in the morning – unless you'd rather I stay and wait."
"Go home and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
"OK."
They wheeled Will out. Beverly put a hand on Deanna's
shoulder. "He'll be fine."
"I know. At least his spirits are improved. That will definitely
help him."
The next morning, Deanna stopped in to see Beverly before going to
see Will. Beverly had called her the previous evening to let her
know that the transplant went well.
"How's Will this morning?"
"He's fine. He ate some breakfast and is waiting patiently for you."
"Good. How's Bob?"
"He's fine. I'm releasing him this morning. Deanna, I'm really
confident that this transplant will be successful." She knew Deanna
was concerned and that she would ask again about the baby.
"If it's not, have you found a potential donor within Starfleet?"
"I'm still looking. I've got some but haven't been able to contact
them via live subspace. If I don't find someone closer within the
next couple of days, I'll contact them via subspace and wait for them
to respond to me. I gather you have no idea where Tom is."
"No. We sent him a message about their father and our engagement as
well as a wedding invitation. He hasn't responded at all. It's been
bothering Will that Tom is his only immediate family other than me
and he doesn't seem to want to contact us."
"Will's so lucky to have you. After his father was killed, I
certainly didn't need an empathic sense to tell me how alone he was
feeling." She smiled. "Now, he has you and your little one. He'll
have the family he's always wanted and needed."
Deanna was quiet for several seconds. "I'm still willing to have you
test the baby."
"Only as a last resort and you have to discuss it with Will and get
his approval."
"I'll discuss it with him when he's feeling stronger."
Bob came in the room. He heard Deanna mention the testing of the
baby and knew what he had to do.
"Good morning, Bob. Are you ready to leave?" Beverly said.
"All set. Did I ever mention that I hate hospitals?"
"You sound like your cousin."
"We are a lot alike – always have been."
"Have you two always been close?" Deanna asked.
"Yes. He's always been more like a brother to me. My mother told me
that Aunt Liz and Uncle Kyle had wanted a big family, but it just
wasn't meant to be so Lisa and I kind of adopted Will as a younger
brother. After Aunt Liz died and Uncle Kyle started resenting Will,
we wanted our parents to adopt Will and …" His stopped realizing he
almost said more than he wanted to. "But Uncle Kyle wouldn't let
us. He always thought my parents would be a bad influence on Will."
Deanna could tell that Bob was hiding something but she couldn't
quite put her finger on it. She decided to talk to Will about
it. "I better go see Will before he figures out a way to escape his
sterile suite and come find me."
"OK." Beverly said. "Tell him, I'll be in shortly to make sure
he's
behaving."
Deanna laughed. "I will." She left the room.
Bob sat down in the chair Deanna had just vacated. "Dr. Crusher, is
Deanna willing to risk the baby's life to help Will?"
"First, please call me Beverly. Will's always considered me an older
sister and since you're like a brother to him, that means we're also
siblings."
Bob laughed. "True."
"In answer to your question, yes. I told her she had to talk to Will
first. I won't do it unless he says so. In all honesty, I doubt
he'll agree."
"He may not have to. I may know another potential donor but I have
to talk to my mother and uncle first. Please, don't let Deanna do
anything until you hear from me."
"Who is this potential donor?"
"I can't tell you until I talk to my parents. You've got to trust me
on this."
"OK."
"I'll go home and talk to my mother and uncle and get back to you."
"OK."
Part 5
A few days later, Deanna decided to talk to Will about the
possibility of testing their unborn child to see if it was a match
for Will's bone marrow; and if so, to attempt a transplant.
Predictably, Will was against the idea.
"Dee, you can't do it. You will be risking the life of our child for
the possibility that it may be a match for me."
"Beverly said there was a possibility that they baby wouldn't be born
prematurely as a result of the procedure; and even if it were born,
it could possibly survive."
"We can't take that risk.
"I just don't want to lose you. We can have other children."
"If the baby isn't a match, we both could die. Please think of our
child. Beverly said she's sent subspace messages to other potential
donors in Starfleet. Another transplant or two could prolong my life
long enough for the baby to be born when it's time and then we can
test the baby and do the transplant."
"OK, but we don't know why your mother died during her fourth
transplant."
He smiled. "You know, a few days ago, you were telling me to think
more positive; now who's not thinking positive?"
Deanna smiled. She knew he was right. She was thinking
negatively. "OK. We'll wait and see what happens. Besides, your
most recent transplant may work and this conversation will be a moot
one."
"That's true."
Several weeks later, it was apparent that the second bone marrow
transplant hadn't worked. None of the people Beverly contacted had
responded. She was becoming increasingly concerned. Will's
condition was slowly deteriorating. A distraught Deanna came in her
office.
"Beverly, we have to do it. There are no other donors. I'm willing
to take the risk."
"There may be one donor. Bob was telling me he knew of one other
potential donor. I'll contact him and let him know what's going on."
"Another family member?"
"I'm not sure. Bob said he would have to talk to his mother and
uncle about it."
"Please call him."
"OK." She contacted Bob and updated him on Will's condition.
"I talked to my mother and uncle. They said they would contact this
potential donor if necessary."
"It's necessary. Will may not live much longer without another
transplant. Deanna is still willing to risk the life of her and
Will's child."
"I'll let them know. Don't worry, we'll do whatever it takes to save
Will's life as well as the life of his child." He ended the
communication.
"Beverly, why didn't we identify this donor initially?"
"I don't know. I'm wondering if this information may be in Will's
mother's medical file that was sealed."
"Do you think he may have a brother or sister who was born just prior
to his mother's death?"
"That's exactly what I'm thinking. It's possible that Will's parents
had him or her in the hope that it would save his mother's life.
It's certainly not unheard of."
Meanwhile Bob convinced his mother that they should talk to the
potential donor. When they arrived at her home, they introduced
themselves.
"Carol, my name is Marie O'Hara and this is my son, Bob."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. O'Hara, Bob. How do you know me?"
"We've known you since you were born. I know that you know you were
adopted as an infant." Carol nodded. "Your mother died shortly
after your birth from a rare genetic illness, Parlon's Syndrome."
"Are you saying I could get it?"
"You're definitely at risk for it, but that's not why we're here.
You have an older brother who is suffering from Parlon's Syndrome.
He's had two transplants from Bob and his sister Lisa.
Unfortunately, they weren't successful. Your bone marrow is an exact
match for Will's. You could save his life."
"Before I make a decision I have to know why my father gave me up for
adoption?"
"He knew he couldn't raise two young children alone. Also, it hurt
him terribly that you were unable to help. He also resented the fact
that Will was unable to save his mother's life."
"Did my parents have me just so I could attempt to save my mother's
life?"
"Sort of. By that I mean that Liz and Kyle were planning on waiting
until Will was 2 to have a second child. You were just a little
ahead of schedule. Will's marrow wasn't a match to Liz so they
decided to try a year ahead of when they were planning."
"I'm going to have to discuss this with my husband and children. Is
there any danger to me"?
"No."
"Carol, I hate to put any pressure on you but Will's condition is
deteriorating by the day. His wife, Deanna, is 8 months pregnant and
willing to risk their child's life by getting the baby tested and if
it's a match have the baby's marrow extracted for the transplant."
Bob said.
"How is that risking the baby's life? It would survive a premature
birth."
"Deanna is ½ Betazoid. Betazoid pregnancies are 10 months. The
baby's chances at survival are marginal at best."
Carol took a breath. She was angry that her father had given her up
for adoption because her marrow wasn't a match for her mother, but
she felt sorry for her brother and sister-in-law. She knew they
shouldn't risk their child's life in hopes the baby would be a match
when she was an exact match for her brother. She smiled.
"I'll do it. What hospital is Will in?"
"He's at Starfleet Medical in San Francisco. If you like, we can
make arrangements for your family to stay in San Francisco with
you." Bob said.
"How long will I be in the hospital?"
"Just overnight."
"I'll contact my husband and have him bring the children to San
Francisco for the weekend. I'll go with you now."
"Thank you very much. I'm sure Will and Deanna will be very much
appreciative. Do you mind if, after you talk to your husband, we
contact Dr. Crusher in San Francisco and let her know we're on our
way."
"Absolutely."
Part 6
Meanwhile in San Francisco, Beverly was looking over Will's latest
test results. His condition was worsening with each passing hour.
She didn't think he was going to survive the night if he didn't get
another transplant. She knew that if she didn't hear from Bob soon,
she might have to test Will's and Deanna's baby to see if it was a
match. She started to get up from her desk to tell Deanna when her
communications console beeped. She thought about ignoring it but
thought it could be Bob with some good news. She was right.
"Bob? Good news I hope."
He smiled. "Yes. We've found Will's sister and she is willing to be
a donor. Beverly, Carol is an exact match to Will. We'll be leaving
Philadelphia very soon and should be in San Francisco within a couple
of hours."
"Thank you. I was just reviewing Will's latest tests. I don't think
he'll survive the night without a transplant. I'll get him prepped
as well as a room prepped for Carol. We'll be ready as soon as she
gets here."
"OK. Give Deanna our love."
"I will. See you soon." She ended the communication and left to
tell Deanna the good news. When she reached Will's room, Deanna was
sitting next to Will's bed, clutching his hand and crying. Beverly's
heart broke for her friend but knew she had potentially good news.
"Deanna, I just heard from Bob."
"And?"
"Will has a younger sister who is an exact match for Will. They will
be leaving Philadelphia soon and will be here in a couple of hours."
"She's an exact match?"
"Yes."
Deanna looked at Will's pale face and started crying again. "Will he
survive until they get here?"
"I believe so."
Deanna kissed Will's hand. "Will, I don't know if you can hear me;
but you have a sister and she's coming here to save your life."
Two hours later, Bob, Marie, and Carol arrived. They went straight
to the room assigned to Carol where she changed into a hospital gown
while Bob and Marie went to Beverly's office. They went back to
Carol's room where Beverly did a quick examination of her.
"You're fine."
"Good. Beverly, can I see Will and meet Deanna before the surgery?"
"Sure." They went to Will's room.
Deanna looked up when the door opened. When she saw Carol, she got
up and went over to her. The two women embraced and sobbed. "Carol,
I'm so glad you came. I don't know what I would have done without
Will."
"Deanna, I didn't want you to risk your child's life when I could do
something about it. My first child was born 3 months prematurely and
died shortly after birth. I know how it feels. I couldn't let my
sister-in-law go through that and I certainly couldn't kill my only
brother."
The orderlies came in and wheeled Will to the sterile room. "Carol,
we better go. Bob, Marie could you stay with Deanna. If you can,
get her to lie down and sleep if possible."
Carol gave Deanna another quick hug and followed Beverly from the
room. "Beverly, she is so tiny and the baby appears pretty big.
Will she be OK?"
"I believe so. I spoke with the CMO on the Titan, Will's ship, and
he said that she's doing great. He's concerned he may have to do a C-
section but Deanna's insisting she can handle natural childbirth."
She smiled. "I cannot believe how much like Will you are. He's also
concerned about whether Deanna can handle natural childbirth. If it
were up to him, she'd have a C-section. You two even look so much
alike."
"I've always wanted an older brother. I was raised as an only child."
"Now you've got one as well as an older sister." Beverly had
explained to Carol that Will considered her an older sister and that
she and Deanna were as close as sisters.
"Yes."
Two hours later, Beverly went into Will's room and found Deanna
sleeping on the bed. Bob was sitting next to her, holding her hand.
Bob looked up when Beverly came in the room.
"How's Will?"
"Doing better. As before, we won't know for a few weeks whether the
transplant worked. After I extracted the marrow, I did a quick
test. Their marrow is an exact match. Yours and Lisa's were very
close, but Carol's is exact."
"That's probably why Carol was unable to save Aunt Liz." He looked
over at Deanna. "Should we wake her up with the good news."
"No. She should get some sleep." She ran her tricorder over
Deanna. "Everything seems fine. I'm just concerned about what the
stress of the last couple of months will do to her and the baby."
"Hopefully, it'll be behind them now."
"Bob, why don't you go back to your hotel and get some sleep. I'll
let Will see both you and Carol in the morning."
"How do you think he'll react to Carol? He could be angry again with
Uncle Kyle for keeping his sister from him all these years."
"You're right. Maybe Deanna and I should tell him about her and then
introduce them."
"Hopefully, Will is going to be so grateful that the baby wasn't
sacrificed for him that he won't be angry about his not knowing about
Carol."
"I agree. He was totally against using the baby's marrow to save his
life."
"Well, I'm going to go. I'll see you in the morning." Bob left.
Beverly ran her tricorder over Deanna once again, covered her with a
sheet and left.
Part 7
The next morning Beverly was examining Will. His vital signs were
better but he was still in a light coma. She decided to let him wake
naturally rather than use high-tech methods to wake him up. Deanna
came in the room. Beverly smiled. "He's doing very well. He's
still in a light coma, but he should come out of it within the next
12 – 24 hours."
"Can you wake him?"
"Yes, but I would rather let him wake up naturally." She ran her
tricorder over Deanna. "You're doing a little better this morning.
I guess a night of uninterrupted sleep helped you." She noticed
Deanna's concerned look. "I've been worried about what the stress
might do to you or the baby. Right now, everything's fine. You just
do what you've been doing and you'll both be fine."
"What about Will?"
"I did a quick check of Carol's bone marrow prior to the transplant
and it was an exact match. I'm hopeful that the transplant will be
successful and Will will make a complete recovery."
Deanna smiled. "I stopped in to see Carol. She's anxious to know
how Will's doing."
"We'll go tell her. Have you had breakfast?"
"No. When I woke up, I went to see Carol who sent me here."
"We'll go back to her room. I'll release her and the two of you can
go out for breakfast and get to know each other."
They went to Carol's room where Beverly filled her in on Will's
condition. After releasing Carol, she and Deanna went to the
Officer's Club at Starfleet Command for breakfast where they got to
know each other. Deanna filled Carol in on as much as she could
about Will including how they met – a story Carol found quite
amusing. After breakfast, they went to Deanna's apartment where
Carol contacted her husband to let him know how Will was doing.
Beverly contacted him the evening before to let him know that Carol
was fine.
That evening, Deanna was sitting with Will when she noticed that he
was showing signs of waking up. She buzzed for Beverly. By the time
Beverly arrived, Will had regained partial consciousness. Deanna
continued to talk to Will in an attempt to wake him up while Beverly
examined him with her tricorder. She smiled at the results.
"He's doing much better."
After several more minutes, Will had regained complete
consciousness. Deanna leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.
He noticed that Deanna was smiling and was still pregnant.
"Who was my donor this time?"
Deanna looked at Beverly who nodded. "Your sister."
"Sister?"
"Carol was born shortly before your mother died. She wasn't a match
for your mother but was an exact match for you."
"My father kept her from me?"
"Yes. According to your aunt, your father didn't feel he could raise
two young children alone and, just as he was with you, he was
resentful because Carol couldn't save your mother's life. Will, she
may have saved your life as well as the life of our child. Carol is
so much like you in so many ways."
"He gave her up because he hated her that much and then never told me
that I had a sister when he knew I wanted one so badly. My father
obviously hated both of us because neither of us could save our
mother's life."
"I don't think it was hatred. I never sensed that your father hated
you. He loved you. If not, why would he have sacrificed his life to
save you?"
Will didn't have an answer for that. Deanna could tell he was
calming down. He looked at Beverly. "When can I meet Carol?"
"Tomorrow. She's really anxious to meet you." Beverly said. She
smiled. "I could see how much you two were alike pretty much as soon
as I met Carol. In addition to a definite resemblance between you
and Carol, like Dr. Ree and you, she's also concerned that the size
of your baby may make natural childbirth difficult for Deanna."
Deanna shook her head. "As I've promised all of you, if my health or
the health of our baby is at risk, I will have a C-section."
"OK. Enough talk." Beverly said. "Deanna, you go home and sleep
in
a nice comfortable bed instead of a hospital bed."
"You kept her here?" Will asked.
Beverly smiled. "No, she fell asleep last night on your bed.
Instead of waking her up, I let her sleep there."
"OK." Deanna leaned over and kissed Will on the forehead. "I
can't
wait to get out of here so I can get a real kiss."
Beverly shook her head. "When the immediate risk of infection has
passed, I'll put you back in your room." She smiled. "And when I'm
satisfied that the transplant worked, I'll release you so the two of
you can have some quality time alone before the baby's born."
"Sounds good to me." Deanna said. She kissed Will on the forehead
again and said "good night." She left with Beverly.
The next morning, Beverly came in Will's room to find him looking
slightly impatient. "Good morning. How are you feeling this
morning?"
"OK, but how come Deanna hasn't come in yet?"
"She, Carol, Carol's husband, Brad, and their children went out to
breakfast this morning. I'm sure she'll be here soon. Would you
like something to eat?"
"I guess so."
"I'll get you something and be right back. Just try to be patient."
Beverly left the room after helping him sit up. As she was returning
to Will's room with his breakfast, she met up with Deanna and
Carol. "I'm so glad you two are here. Will was impatient to see
you." She laughed. "That's a good sign that he's feeling better."
"He hates hospitals too?" Carol asked.
"Yes." She held out the tray. "Who wants to deliver breakfast
to
Mr. Cranky?"
"I'll do it." Carol offered. "Deanna, why don't you give me
a
minute to go in and give Will his breakfast just to see if he
realizes who I am."
"OK, but you know that one look at your eyes will tell him who you
are."
"True." Carol went in the room with the tray. Will glanced over
when she came in. He looked away disappointedly when he saw it
wasn't Deanna. "So, Captain, Dr. Crusher sent me in with your
breakfast." She set the tray on the table.
Will looked again at her and smiled. As Deanna had predicted, when
he looked into her eyes, he realized this was his sister. "Why so
formal, Carol, or are you always so formal with your family?"
Carol smiled, leaned over, and hugged him as Deanna came in the
room. She moved to Will's other side and kissed him after he
released Carol from his embrace. He hugged her also. "So, when do I
get to meet the rest of my family?" He asked.
"As soon as Beverly says you can have more visitors." Deanna said.
"Then you can meet your brother-in-law, Brad; nephew, Kenny; and
niece, Chloe." Carol added.
"How old are Kenny and Chloe?"
"Kenny is 10 and Chloe is 6. Kenny looks exactly like you did when
you were 10." When she noticed Will's look. "Aunt Marie showed me
some pictures of you as you were growing up." She pointed to Will's
tray. "Now you eat. We'll get to know each other over the next few
weeks."
"Carol, thanks for saving my life and the life of your niece or
nephew."
"You're welcome. As I told Deanna, my first child was born 3 months
prematurely and died shortly after birth. I couldn't let you two go
through that." She smiled. "Besides, I couldn't let my only brother
die; especially since I've wanted one all my life."
Will smiled and started to eat his breakfast.
Part 8
Over the next 3 weeks, Will's condition gradually improved. When
Beverly let him out of isolation, he was able to meet Brad, Kenny,
and Chloe with whom he hit it off.
Three weeks after the transplant, Beverly was examining Will. When
she finished, she smiled. "You're fine. It looks like the
transplant was a success."
Will smiled. "Great, so when do I get out of here and back to the
Titan?"
"Not for a few weeks yet. I told you I wanted to deliver the baby.
The baby is due in about 9 weeks. I think I can keep you here that
long." She smiled. "Especially since the Titan is doing a survey
mission and couldn't get back here for at least 6 weeks."
"Can I at least contact them?"
"Sure, I've been keeping Dr. Ree informed as to your progress."
"Speaking of Dr. Ree – he wasn't sure how long Deanna's pregnancy
would last especially since she's half human and the baby is ¾
human. During your examinations, have you been able to determine how
much longer it will be?"
"I researched inter-species pregnancies – especially human/Betazoid
–
since I realized that you two were in love. There has been no clear-
cut trend. I asked Lwaxana about it and she said that her
pregnancies with Deanna and Kestra were about 42 weeks."
"So, our baby could be closer to 40 weeks rather than 44?"
"Possibly."
"Now will you answer my question? When do I get out of here?"
"Will you promise to return if you have any symptoms and I mean any?"
"Yes."
"Do you promise not to over-exert yourself in any way?"
"Yes."
"OK, I'll let you out of here in a few days." She smiled. "I
promised you and Deanna would have some quality time together before
the baby's born."
"Can we go to Alaska and spend a week or so there?"
"Sure as long as you promise…"
"I promise."
Deanna came in the room. "So how's your patient?"
"He's fine. It looks like the transplant was a success and I'm going
to let him out of here in a couple of days. I made him promise to
come back if he has any symptoms and not to over-exert himself."
"I can help there."
"Beverly did say we can go to Alaska and spend a week or so there."
Deanna looked at Beverly who nodded. "I told you that I would be
sure you two could have some quality time together before the baby is
born and because the Titan is at least 6 weeks away from Earth, I
would get to deliver your baby."
"I'm looking forward to that." Deanna said.
"I have to get some paperwork done. Come by in about 30 minutes for
your exam." She smiled and added. "both of you."
A week later, Beverly released Will from Starfleet Medical. A few
days after Will's release, Deanna came home from shopping to find
Will hobbling out of the bedroom in obvious pain.
"What's wrong?" she was scared his illness had returned. She went
over to him and felt his forehead which was cool to the touch.
"I slipped on a bolt and when I grabbed the edge of the dresser, I
wrenched my back and shoulder." He smiled. "I was just going to
call Beverly although a massage might do wonders."
"I'm calling Beverly; and if she says a massage is all you need, then
you'll get it. Now go lie down until she gets here."
"OK."
Beverly was examining Will's latest test results when Deanna's call
came through. "Hi, I was going to come by later to discuss Will's
latest test results. What's up?"
"Will said he slipped and wrenched his back and shoulder. He said he
was going to call you."
"Does he have a fever or any other pain other than his back and
shoulder?"
"No."
"He could be telling you the truth, but I'll be right over. Try
massaging his back and shoulder while you're waiting for me."
"OK." Deanna ended the communication and went into the
bedroom. "She suggested a massage." She sat on the edge of the bed
and felt Will's forehead. Again, it was cool to the touch. "Now
roll over and I'll start your massage."
He did so. "Don't you want me to take my shirt off?" He said
suggestively.
"No, because you're not supposed to over-exert yourself and
Beverly'll be here in a few minutes.
When Beverly arrived, she examined Will and determined he had,
indeed, wrenched his back and shoulder. She gave him a muscle
relaxer and suggested another massage before bed and one in the
morning. After the exam, they all went into the living room to go
over Will's latest test results.
"There's no sign of Parlon's in your system."
"So, I'm cured?"
"It looks that way. I'm not going to pronounce you cured until
you've been without symptoms for another month."
"So, by the time the baby's born, I'll be cured?"
Beverly smiled. "Exactly. So, if you two want to go to Alaska, go
ahead as long as I see no reason to keep you here after I examine
Deanna tomorrow."
"Great. Bev, do you want to stay for dinner?" Will asked. "I'm
cooking."
"Sure."
Part 9
The next day after Beverly finished examining Deanna, Will and Deanna
left for Alaska after both promising Beverly that they would call her
at the first sign of illness in Will or labor for Deanna. Two weeks
after their return from Alaska, a panicked Will awakened Beverly from
a sound sleep. She smiled because she had seen so many first-time
fathers just like this including Jack.
"Will, calm down. It's your first child. This could take awhile. I
need to ask you two questions. First, has Deanna's water broke?"
"Yes."
"OK, how far apart are the contractions?"
"10 minutes."
"You've got awhile yet." She could hear Deanna yell to Will "I
told
you so."
"Bev, could you come over and check her out?"
"Yes. I'll be there shortly. In the meantime, you calm down. It
won't do Deanna any good for you to be so panicked." She noticed
Will's reaction and smiled. "I know it's tough but it's better for
Deanna if you remain calm. Despite the fact that she's in labor, she
can sense your panic and fear."
"OK. Is there anything I can do to make Deanna comfortable?"
"Is she uncomfortable?"
"Only when a contraction comes."
"Just help her breathe through it just like I taught you."
"OK. I'll see you in a few minutes."
"OK."
She ended the communication and laughed. She couldn't remember ever
seeing Will this scared – even when he was so ill. She got up,
dressed and went over to Will's and Deanna's apartment. She examined
Deanna who was only 2 centimeters dilated. She knew it would be
several hours before the baby was born. Will insisted that Deanna
should be taken to Starfleet Medical, but Beverly convinced him that
she would be more comfortable at home until the contractions were
about 5 minutes apart. After a lot of cajoling from both Beverly and
Deanna, Will agreed.
It was around noon when Deanna's contractions were five minutes
apart. Will took her to Starfleet Medical where Beverly examined her
again. She smiled when she saw that Deanna was making excellent
progress.
"I think you'll be able to have the baby naturally." She
said. "It's big and delivery won't be easy, but I believe you can do
it." She noticed Will's panicked expression and smiled. "If I see
any problem whatsoever, we'll do a C-section." He nodded relaxing a
bit.
Three hours later, Deanna was fully dilated and ready to push. Will
held her hands as she pushed. As Beverly predicted the delivery
wasn't easy, but Deanna's determination combined with Will's
encouragement, helped bring their 8.5 lb daughter into the world.
After a quick examination of the baby, Beverly handed the baby to
Deanna Beverly nodded to one of the nurses who went out into the
hall, returning with Carol. She smiled as she looked at her
niece. "She's absolutely gorgeous. Will, I think she looks like
you."
"She does, doesn't she?" Deanna said.
"So, are you sticking with Elizabeth Kestra?" Carol asked.
Deanna looked at Will who said, "No, we've decided to go with
Elizabeth Carol. Because if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be
here to see my little girl."
"Thanks, but Deanna, don't you think your mother may be a little
disappointed to know you're not naming your daughter after your
sister?"
"We told her about it when we decided on it. Under the
circumstances, she couldn't agree more." Deanna said. "Of course,
she said we'll have to have a second daughter to name after Kestra."
"And you've still got Andrew Kyle for a boy." Beverly added.
"Wait a minute, Elizabeth is only a few minutes old. Can you at
least give us some time to enjoy her before providing her with a
brother and sister?"
Elizabeth chose that moment to start to cry. "I think this little
girl would like her first meal. Let's let Deanna and Will alone with
Elizabeth. Deanna also needs her rest." Beverly said. "Will, do
you want me to contact Dr. Ree and Christine and tell them the news."
"Sure. Tell them, we'll send pictures soon."
"Gladly. By the way, Elizabeth would have been an exact match for
you Will. Your mother's namesake would have saved your life."
Will smiled, leaned over and kissed Elizabeth on the head. "Thanks
Little One." Tears formed in his eyes as he looked up and
said, "Thanks, mom."