Post 528: The Truth

Stardate:71028.2030
Title: The Truth
Author: Lt. Grace
Scene: Deck 8/Various
Time: Before "With a Bow"
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"It's almost time to say goodbye to the Yensuli." Dabin paced back and forth, keenly aware of the nervousness that February was feeling at this moment.

"I'll meet you in the transporter room soon, my dear." February's last two words had a genuine sweetness to them as they echoed in Dabin's ears.

Two words which were generally overused- or worse used sarcastically most of the time- and therefore stripped of their sentimental meaning. But not when she spoke them.

*Somehow,* Reece thought, *She says more with those two words than anyone else could say with an entire dictionary full.*

February tied her shoelaces, and pulled the cuffs of her jeans down over her socks once more. The fact that she was off duty allowed her this small luxury; wearing her favorite shoes instead of her Starfleet issue black uniform boots.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Dabin asked gently. He knew that the conversation that was about to take place would likely not end well.

"I'm sure." February looked up, and he leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

*You've done all you could do, February. No matter what is said, remember that.* He thought to her.

She nodded as she rose, and then left him in the doorway of her- their- quarters, and headed out into the hall.

The walk took longer than it should have- the distance to Lily T'Ana's quarters from her own was short in physical length, but forever away in her heart by this point. She rang the chime.

"What." Lily grumbled as the doors opened slowly.

"Were you going to say goodbye?"

Lily was placing pieces of jewelry into a train case, and did not look up at the Trill. She didn't answer, either.

"What are you doing, Lily?" February asked softly. "Have you thought this through? You're giving up your promotion, your career, your home here,"

"This is not my home."

"Your friends?"

T'Ana shot a glance at February that the Trill didn't quite understand.

She had known that things were strained between her and Lily ever since Lily had participated in her zhian'tara, and abruptly found out the truth about the way that Wen Grace-- her old friend and the Grace symbiont's previous host before February-- had really died.

Bru had been busy since then, away on the Alchemy mission. Too busy to realize the true depth of the disconnect that this revelation had caused in the newly fragile friendship between Bru and Lily as individuals.

"My friends." Lily sounded bitter. "You and Reece?"

"Yeah," February replied indignantly. "Me and Reece. Among others."

"You'll do just fine on your own, no need to concern yourself with me."

"But I do." Bru wrung her hands. "I mean, I am concerned about you."

"If you really worried about my feelings, you would have told me the truth."

"I tried," February insisted. "I tried so many times. But you thought the world of her. I didn't want to,"

"Disillusion me?"

"Yes."

"That happened anyway. And In the end, it was worse." Lily closed her last suitcase and her eyes gestured toward the door. "You should have told me the truth, February. Of who you really are. Of who Wen really was."

"She was your friend." February said simply. "So was I, to the best of my ability."

"If you say so. I still say that you owed me the truth at the beginning."

February knew that it was time for her to go, and she moved to the door without hesitation, understanding that unfortunately some friendships do not make it over the long haul- over the lifetime of the symbiont from one host to another.

This one, apparently, would not.

"The truth of who I am? Of who Wen was?" February paused, and looked back sadly at the other woman one last time. "The truth is, Lily, you didn't really want to know."

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Lt. February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence NCC-90791