Losing Mary

Chapter 8

About two hours later, doctor McCoy and Mary were working on some paperwork and what not, mainly because Mary really wanted to do something productive.

She hadn't been cleared for work quite yet, but that didn't stop her. Bones had just handed Mary a finished piece of paper, when the computer beeped.

He recognized the sound from countless tests. It was a match for a blood sample. The one he'd taken from Zar'gwei. Somehow, there was either a match, or being of the same species on the ship.

Confused, he stood up to check the data coming from the computer. He nearly dropped the PADD when he read it.

He turned to Mary, who was watching him with a confused look of her own. "What's up?" She asked, her accent making the 's' sound different.

"Uhhh....... I'll be right back." He replied, then ran out of the med bay, and straight to the bridge. Where both captain Kirk and Zar'gwei were.

"Jim! You're gonna want to see this. You too Zar'gwei." Bones said as soon as he saw them. He thrust the PADD into his friends hands, and waited for him to read it.

It showed a blood analysis, as well as a paternity test, with results. He clicked the results folder, and looked right at Bones. "Nah-uh!"

"Yeah huh. How is that possible?"

"I am sorry, but what is going on here?" Zar'gwei interrupted, and Kirk realized the sensitivity of the situation.

"Come with me, both of you. Mr. Sulu, Spock, Chekov, Uhura, find replacements, then meet us in conference room 3."

~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~

"Okay. So here's what's up, Bones is gonna explain something very....interesting he found. Bones." Dr. McCoy went up to the front of the table, a very confused expression on his face.

"Zar'gwei, you said your daughter died, correct? I apologize for being blunt, but this is relevant."

"Yes, Asonia died when she was a baby. But no body was found." He replied, his voice slightly shaking when he said her name.

"Maybe not. According to this data, she's alive. She's alive, and healthy, and she's on this ship." McCoy said, waving his hands slightly.

"Vwhat? Really?" Chekov asked, his eyes bright. He'd heard about Zar'gwei's sad story. It felt good that he'd have a happy reunion.

"Yes."

"Who?" Zar'gwei whispered, his eyes full of happy tears. "Who is my daughter?"

"It's Meridith Stern." Kirk said, crossing his arms. "Better known as Mary. You've met her before. She's a doctor."

"The women with the golden eyes, like mine?"

"Yes. That's her. But she doesn't know. She doesn't know anything. My guess is that her mother left her somewhere she'd be taken care of. " Bones said, he smiled slightly. That was what a desperate mother would do.

"I want to see her. Please, bring her here. Bring my little Asonia."

"I'll go get her." Bones replied. Boy, was Mary in for one surprise.

~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~

"Wait a second, what are you guys talking about?" Mary interrupted, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Here, just look at this." McCoy replied, putting the PADD in her hand. She looked at it, then at him.

Then she pressed the little folder, and nearly dropped it. "What?"

"Yeah...." Kirk said, his arms still crossed. "Weird huh?"

"More than weird, it's impossible." She handed the PADD back to Bones. "I wasn't adopted. By dad is a pastor, in Ireland."

"Well according to this, your real father is Zar'gwei. You're not human." Spock said, he then stepped away when Mary gave him a death glare.

"But, I wasn't adopted. He would have told me...."

"We did a little research, Mary. You were adopted after he found you in his church, in a basket." McCoy said. The entire time Zar'gwei was silent. Watching the young girl with new eyes.

"But...." Mary slumped down into a chair, this was a major surprise. "How?"

"Your mother, she took you when you were young. We'd had an argument, and she hid you. I thought you had been killed." Zar'gwei said, tears coming to his eyes. Mary stood up when he spoke.

He stood up, and walked over to Mary. They looked very similar. He was a short man, and, he noticed, she'd inherited his unfortunate height.

"You look so much like your mother. You have her hair." He said, and Mary realized, they weren't kidding. This man really was her father.

"What's my name? My real name?" She whispered, quietly, a small tear falling from her golden eyes.

"Your name is Asonia Geay. In our language, it means Sunlit Flower."

Mary nodded, and turned to Chekov. He'd been pretty quiet. He nodded, and she smiled. This was it, she'd found her real family.

Her real people. Her real name. Sunlit Flower. She could get used to that.

~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~
(The next week, after negotiations with Starfleet)

"Mary, vwhat are you thinking?" Chekov asked. For the last two days she'd been in her room. Thinking.

"Zar'gwei said that I should go back with him. To learn more about my people, and my birthright." She whispered, looking at the wall.

"Vwhat? Are you planning on going with him?"

"I don't know. Should I?" Mary asked, her golden eyes seemed to burrow into his soul.

Pavel didn't know how to answer. He saw how this would be good. She was supposed to take over ruling the planet in two years, and she needed to squeeze in a lifetime of education if she was willing to embrace her peoples traditions.

But, he didn't want her to go. He didn't want to lose her. A part of him wanted to be selfish and say why she shouldn't go. But he couldn't think of a real reason that didn't involve his feelings.

"I think you should do vwhat you think is right." He said carefully. Mary nodded. This was her decision, not his. It was her responsibility.

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him in a crushing hug. He hugged back, still amazed at how short she was compared to him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, then, letting go, she kissed his cheek, and walked out. Ready to tell them her answer.

Okay guys! Guess what? The next chapter will be the last.

I'm afraid the conclusion is inevitable. But, before I publish the last chapter, and before you guys decide you may or may not hate me, I need your feedback!

Has this story been good so far? I mean really, be honest.

Should there be a sequel? If so, how should it go?

Let me know in the comments! Love you, my dedicated readers!

~Clieo