Refugee
by Kathy P.
Part 14
Shaking Tremane's hand off his arm Garak stood abruptly. "This is nonsense," the Cardassian said irately. "Do you really expect me to believe that I led a totally different life from then the one I actually remember? Do I look that gullible?"
Tremane stayed seated on the couch and looked up at Garak calmly. "How else can you explain what you're remembering Elim?"
With a bitter laugh Garak replied. "Many ways my dear Tremane. After all, I was a member of the Obsidian Order. I can think of at least a dozen ways to alter one's memory." His eyes narrowed as he looked at the older man. "One way would be with psychotropic drugs. What did you and Larin do, slip me some in my dinner the other night?"
Tremane's eyes widen for a moment before he started to chuckle. "That's right Elim, we slipped you some drugs in the food that we all shared. Just this morning Marin was telling me he was a Pretat bird. Must have been those darn drugs."
Garak glared at the man before turning away. "There has to be another explanation here," he said clenching his hands into fists.
Julian moved over to his husband and took hold of one of his hands rubbing it gently until he relaxed it. "Remember all those tests I ran on you Elim?" his lover asked softly. "There was no evidence of any drugs in your system. I can't find any medical reasons for your flashbacks."
Garak looked deep into his husband's rich brown eyes. "I'm holding on to my sanity with my finger tips Julian," he replied sorrowfully. "How can everything I remember be a lie? Who does this make me if it's true?"
Julian pulled him in for a tight embrace, bringing his head down to rest on his shoulder. "You will always be the same man to me Elim. I think you owe it to yourself to find out the truth here."
Raising his hand he reached up to caress a golden cheek. "But what if I don't want to know?"
Julian captured his hand and held it against his cheek. "Since when do you not want to figure out a mystery Elim?" he said with a soft smile.
With a wry smile he replied. "Other people's mysteries Julian, not my own."
Julian started to reply when he was suddenly commed.
"Nurse Jabora to Doctor Bashir."
Irritated at the interruption Julian hit his comm badge. "Bashir here."
"Dr. Bashir. There has been and incident with the Hebitian delegate's son. Captain Sisko is requesting your presence in the infirmary."
With a startled glance at Tremane who had jumped up from the couch at the news he replied, "I'll be there right away. Bashir out."
"It looks like we will have to finish this discussion later gentleman." Julian said as he moved to leave.
"I'm coming with you," Tremane said firmly as he followed the doctor out the door.
No one said anything as Elim silently trailed after them.
***********
Larin sat on a bio-bed in the station's infirmary holding his son tightly against his chest.
The small boy laid his head against his father as his eyes started to close.
"Marin. Marin!" Larin said urgently as he lifted the boy up a bit. "You can't go to sleep Marin. You have to stay awake for me."
"But I'm tired papa and my stomach hurts," he whimpered softly. "I want to go to sleep."
Larin hugged his son to him again and gently pushed a lock of hair off his forehead. "I know you do sweetie, but you have to stay awake for me. Your father will be here soon and I know he wants to talk to you."
Marin closed his eyes briefly but then opened them a little wider this time. "Am I in trouble?" Marin asked softly. "Is that why daddy wants to talk to me?"
"Of course you're not in trouble Marin. Why would you say that?"
"I snuck out of Alie's place to go exploring. It's all my fault I got hurt," he said tearfully as he pushed his face into Larin's chest not wanting to see the look on his papa's face.
"Oh Marin it's not your fault," Larin said as he hugged his son even tighter. Placing a finger under his chin he lifted Marin's face up and gently wiped away his tears. "You shouldn't have snuck away from Alie and your father but in no way is it your fault that you got hurt. Do you understand me?"
"Yes papa," Marin said with a little trembling smile. "All I wanted to do was explore."
Larin smiled down at his son with understanding. "Next time why don't you invite one of us along. I love exploring new places too."
Larin frowned as Marin's eyes started to fall shut again. "Marin, stay awake!"
"Mmm'k," Marin mumbled as his eyes drifted shut.
"Marin!" Larin yelled as his son's body fell limp against him.
A Bajoran nurse stepped over and started to reach for Marin.
"No!" Larin said as he snatched his son away, moving him to the other side of the bed.
"Gul'en, you have to let me check your son."
Glaring at her Larin continued to shield his son. "No one is going to touch him until Mirell gets here," he snarled.
"Your son is unconscious and he shouldn't be sleeping after a head injury. You have to let me check him out."
"I said no," Larin said stiffly.
The nurse turned to Captain Sisko, who had just reentered the room, for support. "Captain, we need to.." she started to say when the Captain stood to one side to allow two Hebitians to enter.
"How's Marin?" Marrett said as he rushed to Larin's side. He noted the protective look on Larin's face and moved to stand between the nurse and his husband.
Mirell went around the bed to start assessing Marin's condition.
"How long has he been unconscious?" Mirell asked as she pulled Marin's eyelids up to check his eyes.
"A minute no more," Larin said as he leaned over his son, raptly watching what Mirell was doing.
Mirell glanced at Marrett and jerked her head in Larin's direction. "Larin, you are going to have to let Marin go now."
Silently, Larin refused to let go of his son until Marrett placed an arm around his shoulder. "Larin let Marin go. Let Mirell do her work."
Reluctantly Larin released his son.
Mirell scooped him up and placed him on the next bio-bed. Reaching into the bag she had brought with her she took out some instruments. Shining a light into his eyes she noticed the uneven pupils.
"Did he lose consciousness when he hit his head?" She asked as she turned Marin over to feel the back of his skull.
"I don't know. He showed up at the conference room crying, saying that a man had shaken him and pushed him into a wall." Larin said as he stared intently at his son. "If I ever find the piece of trash who did this.."
Marrett pulled his husband up against him. "If we find him we will both take him apart," he said angrily.
Finding a lump on the back of Marin's head she shook her head angrily. "By the size of this lump I would say that he hit the wall with quite some force. I would not be surprised if he did lose consciousness for a bit. Has he complained about any blurry vision or upset stomach?"
"He told me that his stomach hurt," Larin said as he leaned back against Marrett for support. Seeing movement out of the corner of his eyes he stiffened and looked toward the doorway. He relaxed when he saw it was just Julian entering the room.
Julian walked over to where Mirell was treating Marin. "What do we have here?" Julian asked the Hebitian doctor as he came to stand by the bio-bed. Retrieving a medical tricorder he started to scan the young boy.
"Uneven pupils, a large bump on the back of the head, upset stomach and loss of consciousness," Mirell said as Julian completed his scan. "He has a concussion. I think that we should try to bring him around."
"Agreed," Julian said as he laid the tricorder down and picked up a regenerator. "First lets get rid of that bump on his head."
Mirell rolled the young boy over onto his side to give Julian easier access. The lump quickly disappeared as he ran the regenerator over it.
"I also picked up some bruises on both of his upper arms during my scan. Let take care of those as well."
Gently removing Marin's shirt the two doctors fought to contain their anger over the livid bruises on the small arms.
Seeing the damage done to his son Marrett cursed softly, turning around to hit the wall. Larin jumped off the bed and went to him, tears of anger and sorrow filling his eyes. Sensing his mate behind him he turned around swiftly, engulfing Larin in a tight hug. "When I find the bastard who did this..."
Larin placed a finger against his lips. "Like we agreed Marrett, we'll go get the bastard together."
Turning back to watch the doctor's work on their son they watched as the bruises faded away.
Julian turned toward the worried parents. "We are going to try to wake Marin now. He has a concussion and shouldn't be sleeping. I want you to talk to him, try to bring him around. It's best if we don't have to resort to any drugs right now."
Moving forward as one they took the places of Julian and Mirell as the moved to stand near by.
"Marin. Marin it's your father. Can you hear me?" Marrett said as he reached out to touch his son's cheek.
Larin took one of Marin's small hands in his and raised it to his lips, placing a kiss on it. "Marin, it's time to wake up now. Your daddies are here and we want you to wake up."
"Megwyn wants to play with her big brother Marin. You have to wake up now," Marrett said. Mirell motioned for him to continue when he looked up at her with distress when there was no reaction.
"Besides, you have to tell me how you managed to sneak away from Alie and I so quietly. You're getting quite good at stealth maneuvers little one."
Marin twisted slightly on the bed.
Larin leaned in closer to his son. "Marin if you wake up we can go exploring."
With a soft expulsion of breath Marin turned slightly toward Larin.
Both men looked at each other with relief as their son's eyes slowly drifted open. "Can we go find the ghosts?" the small boy murmured.
A big smile spread across Larin's face. "We can do anything you want to Marin."
Mirell walked over to the bed and looked down into Marin's eyes. "Hey honey. How are you feeling?"
"My stomach hurts a little," Marin said after a moments thought.
"How does your head feel?"
Smiling a bit Marin said, "It feels better now. Did you fix my head Mirell?"
Mirell chuckled and pointed over to Julian. "Dr. Bashir did the actual fixing honey."
She turned to look at the other doctor. "I think that we should give them an antiemetic to hold onto until Marin's stomach settles. I don't want him to start vomiting."
"I was going to suggest that as well," Julian said as he turned to fill a hypospray with medicine compatible with Cardassian biology. Handing it to Larin he said, "Give Marin a shot of this if he starts to vomit. I want to see him back in the infirmary if this happens."
"Thank you Julian, Mirell. I'm in your debt," Larin said gratefully as he took the loaded hypospray.
Mirell laughed as she gave Larin a quick reassuring hug. "It's what we do Larin."
Larin hugged her back tightly. "Can we take him back to our quarters now?"
Julian picked up the tricorder and ran it over Marin again, grinning as the boy watch the whirling instrument with fascinated interest. "He checks out fine now that we've reduced the swelling on the back of his skull." Placing the instrument down he ruffled the small boy's hair, grinning again when Marin sighed and pushed his hair back into order.
"Just keep a close eye on him for the next twenty-four hours and I would like to see him back here tomorrow afternoon."
Marrett stepped forward and picked his son off the bed, resting the boy against his hip. "Lets go sprout."
"Can we go look for ghosts now?" Marin said eagerly.
Larin laughed as he moved over to his family. "We'll go tomorrow, I promise."
Marin thought on that for a moment before nodding his agreement. He waved goodbye to the two doctor's as they left the room.
Spotting Tremane and Garak standing together in the next room they moved over to talk to the two men.
"Hi grandpa. My head got hurt today," he said with all the innocence of childhood in his voice.
Tremane glanced at his son noticing the anger behind his eyes. "So I heard little one. How do you feel now?"
"My stomach hurts a little but Dr. Julian gave papa some medicine incase I start to get sick."
Larin noticed Captain Sisko in conference with Julian and excused himself for a moment.
"Captain can I have a word with you?" the younger man asked smoothly.
Julian moved away to give the men some privacy.
"Dr. Bashir had informed me that Marin should recover completely," Sisko said with relief.
Larin crossed his arms over his chest. "I want to know what you plan on doing about this attack. Has Odo found out who did it?"
"Odo is looking into it right now, but we don't know where Marin was attacked. Can the constable stop by to talk to you shortly?"
"Of course Captain. I want this man found as soon as possible," Larin said with a growl.
Looking over his shoulder he saw that his family was still deep in conversation with Garak.
"I can't say that I'm too pleased with the way things are going right now Captain Sisko. We've put our total trust in the Bajorans and the Federation and this is where we end up. My son attacked and our safe haven snatched from our grip. I'm not sure how dedicated you are to these talks any more." Larin said icily.
Captain Sisko drew himself up to his full height towering over the smaller Hebitian. "Gul'en I understand your anger and we are going to look into both incidents I assure you."
Refusing to be intimidated in any way Larin glared up at the taller man. "See that you do Captain."
Turning away he walked back to his family. "Lets go back to our quarters," he said swiftly to Marrett.
Seeing the questions in Marrett's eye he reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll talk about it later."
Making their goodbyes, the small family left the infirmary and headed back to their quarters.
**************
To be continued.
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