<No more!> he thought out.

<Make an attempt to finish. Can you do that at least?>

Lee raised his eyes to glare at his friend. <What do you think I’ve been doing?>

<Stalling>

With a low growl the half-breed expressed his displeasure with the situation he found himself in. <I have reached my limit.>

The Betazoid raised an eyebrow. <Wow … have you finally met your match?>

<You’re being overdramatic.>

<And you’re being rude. If you didn’t like asparagus why did you load your plate up with so much?> Orlen nodded in the direction of the mound of green, the solitary survivor on Lee’s dinner plate.

<I thought it was broccoli … baby broccoli.> Lee looked from his friend’s incredulous gaze to his plate and back again. <Will she be upset?>

<Possibly>

Lee let out a heavy exhale in frustration. Closing his eyes he tried to calm his turbulent emotions before they could surface. It seemed that this meal, much like the entire day … heck his entire life … was an exercise in futility and completely pointless. “Excuse me.” Rising abruptly from his seat at the large wooden dining table, Lee quickly strode out of the room, his denim blue napkin falling from his lap to the hard wood floor.

“Is something wrong dear?” the silver haired woman rose from her seat with sincere concern across her aged kind face and her hands clasping the edge of the table nervously.

Orlen wiped his mouth with his napkin and then stood slowly. “There is nothing to be concerned about Mrs. Wolfe. Lee is … still adapting. Give him time.”

“But if he doesn’t like the food, I can prepare him something else. Just tell me …”

“Sit down Anita.” The older white haired man stated with annoyance. “It’s obvious the boy just doesn’t like asparagus. Don’t make a fuse.”

“I’ll check on him but I’m sure he’s fine.”Orlen smiled politely and nodded to the elderly pair as he walked out of the rustic dining room in search of his friend.

Anita sat down and frowned at her plate. “Anton didn’t like asparagus either. I should have made him broccoli. He probably likes broccoli, don’t you think Aaron?”

Aaron Wolfe cleaned off the last morsels on his plate and wiped his mouth. “Who knows what that boy likes. He’s an odd duck for sure.”

“Aaron!” Anita exclaimed, her face red as cherries. “You’re talking about our grandson … the last of our family. Anton would not be happy to hear you …”

“Anton isn’t here, is he?”

“No but Lee is. And he needs us.” After finishing her meal, Anita moved to clear the plates from the table. Taking them to the sink she rinsed them off before placing them into the dishwasher.

Stepping up behind his wife as she stood at the sink, Aaron wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his head in her long silver hair. Squeezing her tightly he kissed the nape of her neck and whispered, “I’m trying …”

Placing her hands atop his she stifled her tears, “I know you are. We need to be patient. Orlen said he was having a tough time adjusting to life on Earth.”

Aaron nuzzled her hair again and closed his eyes at the sound of her shaky voice. Their resurrected grandson wasn’t the only one having a tough time adjusting. “This is all new …”

Turning around to face her husband, Anita inhaled deeply and mustered her courage. “For me too …” She smiled at him and placed her hands on his handsome face. “But we can do this together … for Anton … and for Nettie too.”

Aaron pulled her tightly against him and embraced her. He loved the feel of her in his arms, her familiar scent, the sparkle in her amazing green eyes, and a dazzling smile that could make him agree to just about anything. He always wanted to grow old with her, but never in his life did he imagine that their golden years would be soured by the loss of their children, cut down in their prime. Their lives seemed to trudge on without meaning or purpose. But they had each other. That was enough once. Now there is another … and he needs them, whether he can admit it or not. “Yes. Together.” He kissed her gently.

~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~

The air was dry and cool but not too cool, which meant Lee could keep walking without having to go back to his room for a jacket. The range of weather and temperature on this godforsaken planet was exhausting. Dry one day, wet the next. Hot, then cold. Windy, humid, sunny, cloudy and then there’s fog. What the hell was that all about? Clouds are supposed to be in the sky not on the ground, obstructing visibility.

As he walked along the winding garden path behind the main house, Lee was sorely missing the climate control environment of the SS Drac’kota. Even with the glitchy lighting systems, he preferred the predicable environment aboard a spaceship to the chaotic and random atmospheric conditions on most planets. He didn’t even mind the heavier gravity on the Drac’kota. It helped him stay in shape.

But despite all the negatives there was one thing that he did like about his grandparent’s home, the wide open space, clean air, amazing views of the nearby mountains, lush forests teeming with all manner of wild animals and the overwhelming sense of calm that permeated his entire body right down into his dark soul. Okay … that was more than one thing. As he scanned the vast vista before him he was amazed at how quickly and easily his anxieties dissipated. Closing his eyes his drew in a deep breath and held it for a moment, willing time to still for him.

“Feeling better?”

So much for the peace and quiet, “I was.”

Orlen walked up beside his friend and took a seat on a nearby bench made of thick logs. He was a little winded. “Did you have to run so far away?”

Lee turned to stare at his friend, “I walked … slowly. And we’re not that far from the house.”

“Far enough.”

“You need to work on your endurance more. You should not be winded after such a short walk.”

“It wasn’t a short walk for me.” Orlen stated patting his right hand over his medical bag that was slung over his shoulder.

Lee frowned and turned his gaze back to the tall, snow caped mountains before him. “Why did you think you would need that?”

Orlen cleared his throat and slowly stood, stepping closer to Lee. “Lately … I never know what it will take to help you. I sensed your distress over dinner and thought …”

“They hate me!”

“They don’t hate you, Lee.” Orlen stated with frustration. Here we go again. “You need to give them time to adjust. They had believed you dead and now you are here in their home. They lost 20 years of your life …”

“They lost more than that. At least Aunt Nettie came to visit us at the colony, but they …” he turned and pointed his long index finger back toward the house. “… they never bothered to visit their son, their only son … and their only grandchild.”

He wasn’t wrong, but Orlen knew better than to insert himself into this family’s issues. He needed to remain objective. “But they are here now. In there, waiting for you so that they can …”

“They can what?!” Lee snapped, feeling like he was about to lose the tenuous control he had over his emotions. “… welcome me back to the family?”

Orlen nodded. Let him get it out. He needs to exercise his demons.

“Why the fuck did you bring me out here, Orlen?!” Turning back to the snowcapped mountains he tried to focus on something
… anything … that could bring back the peace he had enjoyed moments ago. “Why?”

Quietly the Betazoid responded while keeping his distance, “They are your family. They wanted to see you. To reconnect …”

“They are NOT my family!” Lee spun around and repeated in Orlen’s face. “They are not MY family! I don’t know them. And they don’t know me. Hell, they don’t know what to do with me! They’re afraid, frustrated, confused …”

“Yes! They are!” Orlen grabbed Lee’s face in his hands and stared into those pained emerald eyes. “They ARE afraid. They’re afraid that you’ll leave them and they would have lost the last remnant of their son Anton. They ARE frustrated … not knowing who you are, how you’ve lived or what they can cook for you. And they are VERY confused … but they are trying their best to reach out to you. To connect with you … for your father’s sake … for their sake … and for your sake.”

Lee swallowed hard and his breath caught in his tight throat. “Why?” he whispered, although a part of him didn’t want an answer.

“Because despite all of that … they love you.”

No. That was not true. That could not be true. Lee could not believe it. He shook his head and closed his eyes not wanting to believe it.

“Lee …” Orlen’s voice was low and soft as he brought his forehead to rest against his friend’s. “YOU … are worthy … to be loved.”

The wave of fear, self-loathing and numerous anxieties rushed to the surface, overwhelming the fierce half-breed. The nearby log bench shook until it came off its base and then flew across the modest garden. It landed several yards away, splintering into a dozen pieces. The tears finally burst through and trembling, Lee collapsed into Orlen’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Easy.” Lowering Lee to the ground, Orlen considered pulling out a hypospray from his medical kit. He had several neural suppressants in stock for just such an occasion. But since they were out in the wide open outdoors, there really wasn’t a danger to people or property nearby. He could just let Lee get through it without medicating him.

Sensing Orlen’s intention Lee calmed himself and whispered, “Don’t … I’ll be fine.”

The Betazoid doctor nodded and pulled his hand away from his medical bag. “Yes. You will. You just need time.”

~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~