Post 220: Heart and Soul

Stardate: 70615.20
Title: Heart and Soul
Author: Lt. Lily T'Ana
Scene: Sickbay Surgical Recovery
Time: After "Gilmore's Girl" and Gilmore's surgery

It was such a relief, seeing the Captain looking like the strong, handsome man she knew as her "Uncle" once again.

His flesh now brought back to a healthy pinkish glow, a strong heart pumping within him. The stubborn, exasperating, somewhat irritatingly know-it-all exterior back in full force, hiding well the loving, playful, sometimes even boyish interior of the man. It was a sight that made Lily's heart leap for joy.

She knew the soul of R.J. Gilmore had never left him, no matter what he may have thought. His heart and soul would always be tied together, as long as there was one ounce of flesh on those able seaman's bones of his. His soul, as far as she was concerned and as long as she had any say about it, was going to be around for a very long time.

He looked up as he heard her approaching his bedside.

"That is the prettiest picture a man has seen around here in quite a while. How is my Japanese butterfly?" Captain Gilmore was in quite a mood and you could tell he was feeling much better.

Lily held a vase of Pearl Japanese Bugbane and purple lilies. She had grown the plants herself, recently transplanting them into the new Arboretum. She had gone and picked some of the blossoms before visiting him and now set them on the small table beside the bed. She then leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"I am doing quite well, now that you are doing so much better." She said as a tear started to overflow and run down the right side of her cheek.

"Hey now, none of that," he lifted his hand and sweetly wiped her tear away. "I am going to be just fine; you and another pretty feisty lieutenant convinced me to stay around for a little while." Gilmore winked at Lily which immediately drew a grin. Gilmore had the look of a Cheshire cat on his face.

"Oh? And just who are you referring to?" Lily asked him coyly.

"You two are thick as thieves and you know it. One of you can't sneeze without the other one wiping her nose!" Gilmore rolled his eyes at her.

"So, she helped convince you huh? And how did she do that may I ask?" Lily was walking around his bed and straightening up his covers and fluffing his pillows like Florence Nightingale.

"Well now my little one, that is for me to know and you to find out! I must have some mystery in my life. You know, the scuttlebutt on a Starship and all of that. Besides, I would have thought that there is nothing that Miss February does or has ever done that you do not have detailed knowledge of." It was like he was challenging her.

"It may surprise you Uncle, but this apple DOES fall far from the tree!" Lily was referring to her bossy and sometimes nosy mother. Thinking about her made Lily cringe.

*It was always 'Lily, who did you talk to today? What did you say to that young man? Tell me everything, what are his parents like? What planet are they from? Where can I reach them?' Blah, blah, blah.*

"Besides, I only know a few things about Grace's past hosts but not everything. I figure when she wants me to know she will tell me. Until then I will try to be as good a friend to her as she has been to me."

Lily started to take some lotion she had brought and to rub some on her hands to massage onto her uncle's hands.

"What are you doing?" RJ pulled his hand away. "Quit your fussing over me! I am not at deaths door. In fact the doctor says I am to be up and about in just a bit." Lily could tell that he was getting much better, he was starting to act like his old self again.

She ignored him, took his hand back and rubbed the lotion on anyway. Then she combed his hair and beard, and fussed over him like a mother hen even as he tried to resist. Finally he held up his hands and shooed her away. "Okay, now you have done your duty. Sit down here and listen a minute."

Lily did as he asked, then he continued.

"I want you to know that you are more on this ship to me than a science officer. You know you are like a daughter. From the first time I saw you, wrapped up in that little white blanket with the little purple flowers on it, you had me wrapped around your tiny finger." He quickly looked away and cleared his throat.

Lily answered him, "You know, it has always been the same for me, I don't think I would have survived childhood, if not for you! With a over-protective mother, and a practically emotionless father, you were my saving grace! I owe so much to you Uncle. Especially for. . ." she paused and grinned. "For introducing me to the decadent side of life. Chocolate!" They both laughed, and immediately Gilmore groaned.

"OUCH, I am not as healed up as I thought I was!" Right then, Dr. McBrayne approached.

"Okay you two, the party is over! This man needs rest. Lt. I am afraid you have to exit the premises because he is just having much more fun than he is allowed to."

"You're right, we would not want him having too much fun yet, doctor." Lily kissed her Uncle on the forehead and turned to go. "I'll check in on you later."

When Lily turned, she saw the oddest sight. It seemed that Angus MacDougall had been watching her with the Captain. Captain Gilmore waived at him rather quickly and with a puzzled look upon his face.

"Oh, hello, ah Sir, I just wanted to head up and see how you were and if you had any special requests from the kitchen? And how are you lieutenant?" Angus sheepishly looked at Lily like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He hadn't meant to stare at the seemingly private moment between the Lieutenant and the Captain, but he just could not help but be drawn into the scene.

In fact it seemed that whenever Lily T'Ana was around he was drawn into, well, her. He didn't quite know or understand why. Women were not a mystery to him, that much was certain. He had been in every port, in every galaxy, all over the quadrant and then some. But never had any female of any species drawn him in or perplexed him quite like Lily did. It was down right mystifying.

"I'm doing much better, thank you," Gilmore cleared his throat, and added, "Chef. I am on special diet, according to the good doctor. Rabbit food. But thank you for coming all the way to Sickbay and asking about me." The Captain rolled his eyes once more. He knew exactly what Angus was really doing there.

Lily gave a look to her Uncle, that if she could have shot laser beams out of her eyes, he would surely have melted on the spot!

"Yes," Lily began, "It was so nice of you to come and ask the Captain personally what he may want specifically while he is on the mend. When he is able to eat a regular diet again I will let you know what he can eat." Lily smiled demurely and sarcastically back at her Uncle.

"I will walk back with you to Seven, Mr. MacDougall. I'm starving and the Doctor is kicking me out anyway." Lily remarked to Angus as they walked out of Sickbay together.

Lt. Lily T'Ana
Science Officer
USS Independence