SIM:Zehn - An Unorthodox Family

USS Vigilant
Kaedyn Zehn
Gender: Male Position: Intelligence Officer Ship: USS Vigilant Rank: Lieutenant Commander Race: Joined Trill Spouse Eliaan Deron DoB: 236010.31 Weight: 180 lbs Height: 2 metres Eye color: Green/Blue Hair Color: Blond Decorations SIM Archive Edit this nav

Background

Following attacks on the Station, Eliaan Deron, Kaedyn Zehn, Mezan and Janel spend the evening sleeping in Eliaan's office.

Characters

• Eliaan Deron
• Kaedyn Zehn
• Janel

Arc

• Joining
• Family
• Parenthood

Significance

This SIM shows the first instance in which Eliaan accepts the role of surrogate parent to Janel and highlights the strength of the relationship between Eliaan and Kaedyn.

Awards

This SIM won the 2012 Round 3 Top SIM contest

SIM

((Chief Medical Officer's Office - Deck 500))

Life, Eliaan Deron had learned the hard way, had a habit of going in a direction you could never have dreamt. When he thought back to his first day at Starfleet Academy, he had never imagined that this was what fate had in store for him. He would never have expected to fall in love with a Napean doctor on a mercy mission only to have him die; he would not have thought he'd end up serving under his friend Kali Nicholotti who he had trained with; he never expected to fall in love with Kaedyn Tann; never expected to leave Starfleet after the death of a patient only to return as a science officer and be forced into Sickbay again.::

Still, none of that was as unexpected as the sight of his partner, newly joined to a Symbiont, with his previous host's son and mother bunking down in his office for the night. He had been glad that Mezan had found it all as strange as he did but had greeted him warmly. This was uncharted territory for everyone but Eliaan loved Kaedyn and wanted to support him during this difficult time and Kaedyn wanted to be near Jilenna's family and to ensure they were kept safe during the emergency.::

And so, he found himself lying on a makeshift bed on the floor of his office staring at the ceiling trying to process everything that had happened lately, while Kaedyn and Mezan slept on his couches and baby Janel slept in a cot between them. The lone non-Trill among them, he felt almost as if he were intruding,which he knew was silly since it was his office after all. Despite this, he had no idea what Trill custom suggested in situations like this. He knew that it was taboo for Joined Trill to carry on romantic relationships with partners of previous hosts but could stay friends with the friends of previous hosts. How did their society deal with the families and particularly the young children of former hosts?::

As he pondered these questions, sleep evaded him. He had never been someone for who sleep came easily, when he did want to go to sleep his mind would kick into warp speed and he'd start mulling over things deemed too difficult to think about during the day.::

After a long time simply staring at the ceiling, he decided to get up and catch up on his mountain of messages. As he did so, he heard a small whimper from the crib and, with a level of trepidation, he approached and looked down at Janel. It was a strange feeling, he felt some responsibility towards this child to which he had no ties and had only just met but if Kaedyn was almost his parent then Eliaan was almost his step-parent.::

Janel lay in the crib wriggling, kicking his legs and whimpering a little but not crying. He looked up at Eliaan, who glanced over his shoulder at the two other adults in the room who were both fast asleep. He reached into the crib and lifted him out and as he was hit by a terrible smell, he immediately realised why Janel was unsettled.

Deron: Oh dear... Umm, okay. I can totally handle this...

Resisting the urge to hold the infant at arm's length he walked over to the replicator behind his desk and replicated the items he thought he needed for the procedure. Still holding the baby, he cleared a space on his desk and placed him gently onto it. ::

Deron: Don't worry, I'm your... Well... its complicated... but I'm a Starfleet office so I can be trusted and a doctor so you are in safe hands.

The baby made no response and Eliaan took that as informed consent to have his diaper changed by this stranger.::

Deron: Okay, this can't be too difficult.

Removing the dirty diaper and cleaning the "patient" wasn't too difficult but as he tried to put the new diaper on he found it much more difficult than he expected. Janel giggled as he failed for the second time to assemble the device around the baby in a manner that both fitted and would remain on him. This, Eliaan muttered, was ridiculous, he was able to perform incredibly delicate surgery but he couldn't do this. The idea of waking Kaedyn or Mezan crossed his mind but then he realised how pathetic he would seem if he couldn't do this.::

He made a third attempt and was incredibly relieved that it was successful. Janel began to wriggle and compain again as he lifted him back up and held him against his shoulder.::

Deron: ::soflty:: Shhhh shhhh shhhh

The baby settled slightly and Eliaan began to pace back and forth, gently bouncing him.::

Deron: I know your mommy is gone. You probably don't understand but I'm sure you miss her. I want you to know that she hasn't gone far and she still loves you very much.

He smiled realising, perhaps for the first time, how precious this could be and how strong Kaedyn must have been longing to get back to his "son".:

Deron: Things are going to be strange for a while and I don't know what's going to happen, I'm afraid.

The sound of his voice as he spoke softly and the slow movement back and forth behind his desk gently lulled the infant and he began to fall asleep.::

Deron: Don't worry though, you are surrounded by people who love you and we'll work something out

With Janel finally sleeping and exhaustion threatening to catch up with him, he placed the baby back into his crib and returned to the makeshift bed on the floor.::

Zehn: ::whispering:: Eliaan...

Not realising Kaedyn was awake, he sat back up with a start.::

Deron: ::whispering:: Yes?

Zehn: ::whispering:: I love you

Deron: ::smiling:: Love you too

--