Dreamcatcher

Posted on Sun 11th Nov, 2012 @ 6:08pm by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Lieutenant Colonel Cara Karikkar

1,553 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/2
Location: Chief Counselor's Office

Cara walked with Jess to the counselor's office. She hoped it would be someone that Jess would be able to trust with what she had gone through but that was the whole reason she was coming with her.

Chiming the door she waited for an answer.

Paul heard the door chime and called out, "Come in," to whoever had come. It had been a few days since Brian had come by, so he looked much better than he had that time.

His eyes widened with surprise as a rather stunning woman and a little girl entered. Belatedly, he realized that the adult was Major Treia, who had just been promoted to the Executive Officer's position. He wondered who the little girl was. She looked about seven years old, with long brownish-blondish hair and penetrating blue eyes.

Paul stood and came from around his desk as the pair of them entered. "Major Treia," he said, "it's good to meet you. I'm Counselor Graves." He met the girl's gaze. "And who are you?" he asked.

Looking to Cara Jess then looked at the counselor at her nod "Jessie ... momma calls me Jessie." She held close to Cara.

Giving him an apologetic smile Cara said "Call me Cara Counselor Graves."

"I'm very glad to meet you, Jessie," Paul said. "Welcome to my office. Cara, please call me Paul. Would you and Jessie like to have a seat on the couch? And can I get you anything to eat or drink while we talk?"

"A hot chocolate and a strawberry milkshake would be great thanks Paul." Cara helped Jess onto the couch before sitting herself.

Paul ordered the hot chocolate and milkshake for them from the replicator and a glass of tea for himself before rejoining the two of them and sitting on the loveseat perpendicular to the couch.

"So, what brings you two ladies to see me?" Paul asked with a glance at mother and daughter. He presumed the visit must be for Jessie; Cara wouldn't have brought her daughter along on a visit for just herself.

Cara handed Jessie the milkshake and smiled as she took a sip. "Jessie has been having some nightmares."

Paul looked at Jessie. "Unusually bad ones?" he asked.

Jessie nodded "Momma died."

"How did you feel about that in your dream?" Paul asked. "I know it seems as if I shouldn't have to ask you that, but dreams are strange things, and we don't always react in them the same way as we do when we're awake."

"It scared me ... momma went to rescue Uncle Brian with Uncle Dev and Auntie Nyx .. and they nearly died ... and in the dream the bad men take them away and they die."

"That would scare me, too, if it were my mother," Paul said. "She was very brave, to go rescue Uncle Brian when it was so dangerous." He gave Jessie a curious look. "You weren't with them when they went to rescue him, were you?" he asked.

Jessie shook her head no "I told Major Green where to find them."

"How did you know where they were, if you weren't with them?" Paul asked. There seemed to be a bit more to this story than met the eye. There had to be something to explain Jessie's degree of trauma.

"I could see them in my head ..." She looked worried as it was stuff she shouldn't be able to do at 7.

"Ah," Paul said. "It sounds like clairvoyance--being able to see things that aren't in the same room with you. Could you tell what they were thinking or feeling, too, or could you just see them?"

"See them and hear them out loud ... but not what they're thinking."

Paul nodded and sipped from his tea for a moment. "What did you see, Jessie?"

"Bad man arguing with Uncle Bri and hitting him ... hurting him and he hurt momma too."

Paul bit his lip, as if remembering something. "It's hard to watch someone you love being hurt when you can't do anything to stop it--very hard. Even though you were able to help stop it, seeing that sort of thing leaves its mark for a while."

Jessie nodded "He was a bad man."

"Yes, he was," Paul said. "But the trick is to not let what he did overshadow your life. It's all right to be a little afraid for a while, because what that man did to your mother and to Brian is something no decent person should ever do, and it was frightening. Your dreams are part of how you learn to accept that fear and overcome it. Do you have the bad dreams every time you sleep or take a nap, or just sometimes?"

"Most times .... When I'm in with Momma it's less."

Paul nodded. "When you saw how your mother and Brian were being hurt, were you trying to see them, or did it just happen suddenly and take you by surprise?"

"Just happened ... Uncle Brian says Im not supposed to be able to do this ... and that I could get in trouble if people find out."

Cara admitted "I've been teaching her control as much as I can ... but we both know shes way too young for it to be passed off as her being part Betazoid."

"It could cause problems for you, yes," Paul said to Jessie, "if you tell people about it who either have secrets they don't want you knowing or who want to know things they shouldn't. Anything you say to me in this room, though, I will keep secret, and I will never ask you to use your ability to tell me things that are none of my business."

Jessie nodded thoughtfully.

Paul looked at Cara. "Jessie is awfully young to express the ability, but if she has it, all we can do is just move forward."

Cara nodded and sent privately ~Jessie is ... special ... she's an augment Paul ... and I'm one as well except she was augmented In Vitro ...I was altered against my will.~

Paul took a moment to digest that. ~So it's vital that no one ever know these things that Jessie can do, especially so young. Understood.~

~Thank you ... Dev and I ... we wouldn't just lose our jobs if they found out that we not only have Jess but rescued a whole group of the kids ... we would be imprisoned or worse ... you know they see Jess and I as being subhuman.~

~Oh, not subhuman at all; that's the problem,~ Paul sent back wryly. ~Does Col. Drake know?~

~About Jess yes ... about me no ... he could get in enough trouble knowing about her.~

~I'm glad he at least knows about Jess; I'd hate to have to hide that from him.~ Paul let out a breath and then smiled at Jess. "Sorry, Jessie; your Mom wanted to give me information quickly, and thinking to each other was the quickest way to do it."

Jessie nodded "Thats ok ... mom does that with Uncle Brian and Uncle Dev too .. they say its quicker but that I cant do it with anyone other than them ... and mom said you were safe too."

"Your Mom is very kind," Paul said with another brief smile. "So, about these nightmares you're having...You might have them for a while. Brian told me about the man who hurt him, and he is indeed a very, very bad person. It takes time to get over the shock of learning that there are people who can be that evil, especially when you see them hurt someone you love.

"I think a part of you knows exactly how bad a person he is, and that's why you started to see what he was doing. You knew he was dangerous, and you wanted to help somehow. That's my best guess, anyway."

He paused and looked directly at Jessie. "I can't promise you that your Mom will never be in danger or that she will always come home to you. But I can promise you that those of us who are your friends will do everything we can to take care of you and love you if anything ever does happen to her. We will not abandon you. You won't be left alone in the world unless you want to be."

Her eyes tearing Jessie nodded "Promise?"


Paul took her hand and gently clasped it. "I promise, Jessie."

Hugging him she said "Thank you."

Paul hugged her back. feeling the fear under her relief. "Any time you have a dream like that, you can come talk to me, okay?"

"Even in the middle of the night?"

Paul grinned and chuckled at her "You drive a hard bargain, Jessie, but yes, even in the middle of the night. That's what I'm here for."

She giggled "Thanks Uncle Paul."

"You're very welcome," Paul said. He looked at Cara. "Are you agreeable to that?"

Cara nodded "Thanks Paul ... she seems to pick up family where ever she goes."

Paul laughed. "There are worse habits to have. You're a very lucky mother, Cara."

She grinned and hugged Jess to her. "Yeah ... I really am. I wouldnt trade her in for the worlds ..."

OFF:

Maj Cara Treia
XO
Protector

Jessie Treia
Family member
Protector

and

Lt. Paul Graves
Chief Counselor
SB-Protector

 

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