therapy

Posted on Thu Oct 13th, 2022 @ 7:11am by Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey & Lieutenant Commander Melor Pallara (Stoffels)
Edited on on Thu Oct 13th, 2022 @ 7:57am

Mission: The Lost Brother
Location: sickbay

Today he had managed five minutes out of bed and everyone here was congratulating him on that feat without passing out. Five bloody minutes. At this rate he would be sixty before he could manage a day. And everybody was so bloody nice, it was seriously getting on his nerves. So he was not in the best of moods and listening to klingon death metal on his earbuds.

Entering Sickbay Sky smiled as she saw her patient doing his best to chill out, though her senses were clearly telling her he was anything but relaxed. Walking over to the biobed, she offered a warm smile. There was no point in speaking until his earbuds were removed so instead she stood politely waiting.

Finally Melor noticed her and he turned off the music and removed his buds. "I am sorry, have you been standing there long?" He asked politely.

“Not long at all” Sky smiled warmly. “I’m Sky Jansen, ships Counsellor. I came to see how you’re doing.”

"Ah the shrink." Melor smiled. "Yes I requested to see you actually." He smiled. "My stepmother would have my hide if I did not after what I have been through." He gestured for her to sit down.

Sky took a seat offering a warm smile. “I’m glad you asked for me, please call me Sky. I know you’ve been through a lot, I don’t expect you to tell me everything all at once. Just start where you’re comfortable, and we’ll go from there.”

"I feel inadequate that I was not able to save my friends."

Sky nodded. “I’ve no doubt you did what you could given the state you arrived here in. It’s better that you arrived here alive, to be able to tell us what happened. It gives us a chance at finding them.”

"Yeah that is what Denise would say if she was here." He smiled. "But I don't feel it that way. Klingons are pretty big on honour. And it is more honourable to die trying."

“You’re not a full blood Klingon, you don’t serve on a Klingon ship though I do understand you wanting to follow the Klingon ways.” Sky offered an understanding smile.

"I never fit in in the Klingon empire." he sighed. "I had to live with a human family because I could not hold myself in school."

Sky nodded as she listened. “That must have been difficult for you.”

"Yes. And it took me forever until I was willing to open up. I guess I was lucky to have Denise as a stepmum. She never gave up on me. That is why I feel so bad that I was not the one to save Tasin."

“Denise? Why does that name ring a bell?” Sky looked at Melor curiously.

"Commodore Parri. You may have heard of her. Married to admiral London. My stepparents." He said with affection.

“Ohhh that’s why!” Sky grinned. “Well I’m not going to give up on you either, I’ll get you through this Melor that’s a promise.”

"Thank you doctor. I do appreciate it. It.. is not easy right now, feeling so weak. Recovery is slow and if not drugged for sleep I do have nightmares."

Sky nodded. “That’s not surprising. Can you tell me about your nightmares?”

He heaved a sigh. "I see them dying while I watch helplessly. And then I see them murdering my grandfather, my father and my stepparents. Over and over."

“Okay” Sky nodded. “So your nightmares are including those you’re worried about, your family. Your concerns for their welfare isn’t helping. What we need to do is to sort out that part first, the nightmares I can teach you to control.”

"Good luck. Even Denise has not been able to completely help me with my nightmares. But then she never officially was my therapist because she became my mum."

Sky nodded. “Well there’s ways and means, but we need to settle your anxiety about losing your family first. Otherwise it’ll just be counterproductive.”

He laughed out loud. "You are saying that while we have just thwarted a plot to kill most of that family and they came pretty close. You can't say that is an irrational fear."

“No, it’s not an irrational fear” Sky grinned. “It’s a very real one, and I can’t blame you for being afraid of losing your family. We just need to...find a way to reassure you that they’re safe now. That they’re no longer in danger.”

"For the moment. You don't want to know how many assassination attempts my grandfather and my father have survived. One day their luck is going to run out."

Sky nodded. “I can only imagine what a horror that is, I know how I’d feel.” She offered an understanding smile.

"I have lived with it my whole life. I think I was four or five when I was present at an attempt to kill my grandfather. He was severely injured as he saved my life."

“At that age it must have been a terrifying experience, seeing your grandfather injured protecting you.” Sky offered an understanding smile, the whole picture was now coming forth. “You’ve had to live your whole life worrying that you’ll lose those you love.”

He swallowed, damn these people got under your skin. He thought just telling it matter of factly would not make him this emotional. "They had to send me away becauase I had a failure. I could not defend myself. My mother died."

Sky shook her head. “How did your mother die? Can you tell me? I can’t see it being your fault Melor.”

"Take one guess." He snorted. "She was murdered. My mother was human and she died because she was not a klingon."

Sky nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up bad memories, but it’s obviously something you do need to talk about.”

"No it isn't. It happened long ago. Denise had me talk to a child therapist when I was a boy. And she did all she could to raise me right."

“You spoke about then, but you still feel guilty.” Sky looked at Melor just to see what his response would be. Whether he truly had gotten past it.

"How could I not? My whole being in the universe killed my mother. And made life harder for all those around me."

Sky nodded. “I think we have much to talk about Melor, but going through all that now is pushing you too far. Right now we need to deal with those nightmares of yours. There’s something called directed dreaming. It helps you to control your nightmares. I have a PADD all about it I’ll drop it off to you later for you to read.”

"Yeah sure." He was getting tired. And he honestly did not believe in miracle cures anymore.

Sky nodded and offered a smile. “I’ll go and let you try to get some sleep. Let the medical staff know if you need a sedative at all.”

"Klingons don't do sedatives."

Sky grinned. “Fair enough”

He was pleasantly surprised she did not push and was nearly asleep already.

Smiling Sky headed on her way, next call was for something nutritious to eat.

{OFF}