Heart to Heart

Posted on Sun Aug 11th, 2019 @ 5:51am by Ensign Dana Wakefield
Edited on on Mon Aug 12th, 2019 @ 1:25am

969 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Dana's Quarters - Deck 3 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD007 1100 hrs

The last few weeks had been hard for Dana, to say the least. She was haunted by her actions and her behaviour and to top it all off she had demoted to an Ensign. Her father stood there, words were not necessary, his demeanour and facial expression said it all. Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the floor, she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.

"I'm..." she began to say before stopping.

Wilfred sighed, he hated seeing his little girl like this, he had never seen her so distant, so upset, but he had to let her approach him, she had to make the first step. If she didn't the road to recovery would be even longer. So he simply continued to stare at Dana.

She felt his eyes upon her, why was he so dam calm, if she was in his position, she would be shouting, screaming what a disappointment she was, but then again...she was simply demoted and reassigned, did he interfere?...she was expecting to be thrown out of Starfleet to be in custody facing jail time.

"I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment, I've brought shame upon the family name," she said, her voice quivering and tears rolling down her face.

Those words broke Wilfred's heart, he couldn't stand there anymore, he stepped forward and took his daughter into a loving embrace, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head.

"Don't be silly, you have never been a disappointment, I and your mother have never been prouder of you Dana." He said, tilting her head to face him, her eyes finally meeting his. "But this isn't like you, I've read the reports, the logs, this behaviour Dana, it's self-destructive and you haven't reached out, you know me and your mother would surrender everything for you."

Dana couldn't hold it back anymore, she began to sob uncontrollably at her farther's words "Daddy, I don't know what to do, I've made so many mistakes, I'm haunted by nightmares, I'm a killer, I murdered a shipful of people."

Wilfred took a deep breath in, he had read the reports, but it wasn't her fault. "Dana sweetheart, you were doing your duty, carrying out your orders," he said as he saw the pain etched on her face. "Why didn't you go see the councillor, it's what we have them for?" he asked, confused.

"But...but I thought you wouldn't approve, it would show weakness and the Sutherland's don't show weakness," she said, herself confused.

He signed, his heartbreaking even more, how come his little girl knew how to pull at his heartstrings.

"Is that what you think?" he asked, his composure and tone changing to a soft, caring, compassionate whisper. "Dana sweetheart, seeking help isn't a weakness. I'm not ashamed to admit I've spent several hours confessing all to a councillor before, if I'd kept everything bottled up, tried to go it alone, it would have driven me crazy. it would have driven me to behaviour like yours," he said, raising an eyebrow and giving her a reassuring smile, letting her know everything was going to be alright.

The almighty Wilfred Sutherland spending time with a counsellor, hearing him admit to that was surprising. She had never pictured her daddy like that, he was the strong one, the rock of the family, he was always so calm and composed, the one you turned to when you were in trouble, so why had she been ashamed to reach out, why had she kept everyone that she cared about at arms length.

Wilfred smiled, he could see that she was processing things, was he getting through to her. "You do realise you need help sweetheart, we'll get you through this sweetpea, I promise."

Those words cut her very soul, a flashback of everything that had happened recently were flashing before her eyes, how cold and unsupportive she was of her best friend, how she had belittled the Ensign on the bridge, the fight with the Commander's wife, assaulting the marine who had only ever tried to be nice to her.

"Oh daddy, I've been such a fool....I've.....I've made such a mess of things. I know I need help, but I was..." she paused her thoughts clearing for the first time in weeks. "I was ashamed what you would think and that you wouldn't want me going to a councillor, I've bottled things up, taken them out on the people that were there to support me, and now I've burnt all my bridges. They all hate me."

"They don't hate you, sweetheart, they are concerned for you. I saw how your friend defended you, I saw the look the Captain gave himself, the look of though he failed a member of his crew."

Dana took a deep breath, the tears had stopped, everything her father was saying was right. She just couldn't see it at the time and now she had thrown everything away, she had pushed the people who had cared for her away, treated them worse than dirt, she had said some awful things about the ship and the crew, but she hadn't meant it.

"Daddy I need your help."

Wilfred smiled, he kissed her head again "Anything for my little girl."

Dana wrapped her arms around him so tightly, she felt safe, she felt release and relief, she was going to get the help she needed, she was going to see a councillor but she also had bigger plans one that she could hope her daddy could wrangle.

A Joint Post By

Lieutenant Dana Wakefield
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer

Admiral Wilred Sutherland
Commanding Officer, USS Underwood

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