Checking Up

Posted on 13 Feb 2016 @ 11:50pm by https://stgalileo.com/index.php/personnel/character/312
Edited on on 15 Feb 2016 @ 3:22am

2,009 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Callisto Bar
Timeline: MD 67, 0700

ON:

It was still early on the day, especially when he wasn't on duty but the little girl he carried didn't seem to care about sleeping in. "Good morning Doyle," Tyrion greeted as he approached the bar. "Early shift, or still up from the night?" He shifted the baby in his arms, already reasoning the girl would be better off with his family back home. "Is breakfast still being served or am I too late?"

"Hey," Doyle replied while looking over his shoulder, not being too thrilled at who was now perching near his bar...even if he did have an infant now. "I'm just finishing up, waiting for the next shift to arrive. But I can replicate something if you need it. Who knows how long they are going to be. Bar shifts swap like mad when we are docked. Most people want to head out, leaving the bar here quite empty," he forced a smile.

"That would be great, thank you." Tyrion forced a smile of his own. "You still don't like me huh....though I don't understand why." He leaned forward a little. "He's got reassigned by Starfleet, we didn't get much choice in the matter. I'll see him again next leave, maybe you'd like to come?" He wouldn't come between two best friends even if he was married to one of them. It also didn't mean he and the best friends had to be friends too. It'd help, but it wasn't required.

"I already managed to see him, we'll make plans on our next visit," Doyle turned to the replicator. "What would you like?" he gave his best faux smile he gives to customers when he would really be anywhere else.

"Hmm whatever you have on offer for breakfast. Eggs and toast? And a bottle of formula for Dania?" The Betazoid smiled back. "And a cup of coffee please. Do you want me to wait, or shall we find a table?"

"It is a replicator Tyrion, it can get you whatever you want. I'll bring over the formula and coffee while you make up your mind," his tone was of mild annoyance, mainly due to how tired he was, and, that someone couldn't make up their mind at a breakfast choice only agitated him further. The man already got his back up with how quickly he was able to seduce his best friend into marriage and all but cut ties with his friends.

"Eggs on toast is fine," Tyrion answered quickly, then gestured towards a nearby booth. "We'll be over there."

A few moments later the barman, looking ever more tired arrived with the food, drink and formula on a tray. "Enjoy your breakfast," he winced and began to walk off back to the bar, checking the clock and hoping his shift change would arrive soon.

"Thank you." Tyrion shifted Dania on his arm so he could assist her with the bottle, then watched Doyle go. "Hey Doyle...why not join us for breakfast if you're off shift? Gives us a chance to catch up...." And maybe, hopefully, work things out.

"I wouldn't like to get in the way," Doyle replied awkwardly, hoping Tyrion would pick up exactly how much he really just wanted to leave and sit anywhere else.

He did, but he wasn't going to let it go that easy. "Doyle, please...we need to talk."

"We don't really Tyrion, unless there were some specifics you'd like to discuss about your meal?" the tone suggested it was venturing very close to a particularly raw and volatile nerve.

"We can if that's what you prefer, but we need to talk about Gray....I don't understand why you're so hostile...I'm not getting between you two you know...we're married, but you and him are best friends. I don't have a claim on him you see, you two can still hang out whenever you want." Tyrion sighed, hoping that it didn't come across as wrong as it sounded to him. He loved Grayson. He loved his husband but that didn't mean he owned him.

"The thing is, you claim all this, yet you monopolized his free time. Outside the odd time I saw him at lunch... he was always with you. I asked when he was free, you made plans. Even when we did have something planned...that is when you conveniently had a surprise for him. Grayson swanned off and came back married without a hint of a word to anyone. He supported you even when it went against what he wished. Made it look like he loved it and went along...the poor fool was just so happy to have someone. Someone who pushed him and used him. No wonder he left." Doyle paused in that moment, revealing something he knew he shouldn't have in confidence.

"What?" Tyrion blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes. "That's not the impression he gave me. It's not like we planned to get married...we went to Betazed to get him help, because that bond that we really didn't intend for to happen, was killing him. I didn't monopolize him, if he was with me it's because he chose to be. If he'd given any indication he wanted something different then I sure would've let him. I've not used him Doyle, I would've gone with him but Starfleet wouldn't let me. And he's gone to a starbase, a chief engineer position, would you rather I tried to convince him to stay here? In the shadows of another chief engineer, a position that should've been his?"

"Oh he went to get help. Rid of that bond if I had any say in it. Happened all to quickly and clouded his judgement. He was in such a euphoria of finally being free of all that pain, Gray would have agreed to anything. All that pain, he hid from you...who knows why! At the end of it though, he came to, realized he was in too deep...married, a child he didn't want or have any say in. No wonder he put in a transfer request, he wanted away, a break...and for some reason thought that would spare you while he figured things out and hoped I would keep my mouth shut over it all."

Tyrion looked down at Dania, then back up at Doyle. "Not like I chose to have a child," he retorted, "and I'm not going to keep her on the ship either. I'm waiting for my sister to come and take her. My job is too dangerous for a child, she'd be much safer on Betazed." Outwardly, he looked calm enough but inwardly his emotions were raging. Why hadn't Grayson spoken to him about this?

"You could have left her in the other universe where she belongs," Doyle spat out. "At the end of it all, you drove him off. He's too nice and caring to state anything while he's unsure. You've known each other for months, gotten married and moved in. There was no where on this ship for him to escape to. He was trapped and drowning knowing he couldn't keep how he was feeling from you much longer. There where times he came to my quarters and just broke down into tears, it was the only safe space he felt like he still had."

"I didn't take her!" the Betazoid all but shouted back, "and he should've talked to me...he could've said no to marriage....he's a grown man, his own person...we're both adults..." Tyrion suddenly fell silent, gritting his teeth. "No, I'm not doing this...I'm not believing any of it until I've spoken with him. I'm not going to be baited."

"Good luck with that," Doyle snorted as he continued to walk away. "If you were as close as you claim, you would have known he would have avoided even trying to hurt those he was close to. But as he grew further and further away, it was hard to feel any of that."

"You didn't sit with him in sickbay every day, did you," Tyrion snapped back. "Every free minute I had, I spent at his side after he was injured. Talking to him, telling him of things that happened. I never saw you there. Some friend you are." He shoved the tray away, cradled Dania - and the bottle - to his chest, and stalked past the civilian. He suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"We all didn't mope about the ship going 'Look at poor me, my boyfriend of a few weeks is ill and I need attention and sympathy'. Some of us were there when you weren't. NOT making a big song and dance of it all. NOT being there when I knew you would, 'cause any more than a few moments in a room with you and I knew I would be nauseated with the over the top gushy water works and theatrics."

Black eyes turning obsidian with reigned in fury, Tyrion shifted Dania to his right arm, the pivoted and swung his left fist around to connect with the barman's jaw. "Shut up!" he snapped, "I never wanted any sympathy. All I wanted was for Gray to get well and wake up. That's all I ever wanted. I love him, and if you can't accept that...well...tough!"

Recoiling his head back and vowing to be the better man and not hit someone with a baby, Doyle replied, "And if you can't accept the truth without acts of physical violence towards a civilian then tough. With all these witnesses as well," he nodded to his shift change who just walked through the door, "you do choose your moments to arrive." Walking to the bar, Doyle picked up a cloth to blot the blood now flowing freely from a cut on his chin. "I do expect security to come in here shortly and drag your ass off to the brig. An officer hitting a civilian. How very un-Starfleet of you. And how Grayson would disapprove. I would love for him to be here now, seeing you escorted off in shame. Oh how I would smile...and laugh...and smile."

"So you would," Tyrion scowled, "I'm not waiting for security, and I'm not on duty." He shrugged. "Gray would understand why...you're an ass Doyle, and I wonder why I even bothered trying to get to an understanding with you."

"You did insist, I did want to leave," Doyle smirked knowing he was getting to Tyrion. "Taking yourself to security then? Oh my, how brave! How noble! 'Look at me and all the mean things he said. I just had to hit him to defend the honor of my love who isn't even here with me. Look how I take myself willing off for the consequences.' You are still an officer on the ship during your posting. There is a certain expectation on your behaviour sweetie...I've been around Fed types long enough to know that." Doyle continued to smirk as his next button push came to his mind, "For striking a member of the bar staff, I'm having you barred from here. Your custom will no longer be welcome."

Tyrion shrugged. "I don't even want to be here anymore. And no I'm not going to security. I'm going back to my quarters to tend to my child and then I'm going to see how long until my sister arrives." He set the now empty bottle on a nearby table and turned to walk away, giving a slight nod to the bar relief. "Good day."

"Bye, you won't be missed," Doyle laughed knowing the truth was out there and he wouldn't really have to see the man again.

Gritting his teeth, refusing to reply, Tyrion walked out of the bar. "Let's go home," he murmured to the fussing baby, "get you cleaned up and back to bed."

OFF:

Ensign Tyrion Faye
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

Doyle McAdams
Mixologist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Henderson]

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