Unwelcome Family Reunion

Previously…….

An hour later, Logan had explained the situation to Will, ensuring that he’d keep Logan informed of Rahel’s situation. By the time he’d got back to the Security office, Shara had found an Intrepid class vessel heading directly for Earth and Logan was on it and away. In five days, he’d be on Earth and seeing his daughter for the first time in nine years.

Now…..

Logan stepped into the offices of family services once more. The last time he’d come into this building was in 2371, when he’d arrived to pick up his sister Lana and take her home. Now here he was again, the only difference being this time it was a sister he was coming to see, but a daughter, a daughter he hardly knew.

As he reached to room he had been directed to, he paused outside and took a deep breath, wondering whether Bridie would be better off in care or being adopted. But then he thought of the message Bridie’s mother, the one Logan had fallen for all those years ago back when they were at the Academy together. He pressed the door controls and after pausing for a split second once the doors were open, he stepped inside.

Inside an old couple were sat talking with a Starfleet officer dressed in a teal uniform. Sat between them was a young girl, with hazel eyes and long brown hair. She was obviously upset and crying, the elderly woman sat beside her trying her best to comfort the girl. The sound of the doors opening alerted the Starfleet officer to Logan’s arrival and she stood up and walked across towards him.

“Lieutenant Commander McQueen.” The young Lieutenant announced, holding out a hand. “I’m councillor Amy Tucker. I’m sorry for the circumstances that have brought us all here today.”

Logan shook her hand and noticed that the elderly gentleman had followed the councillor from his seat and was slowly walking across to where Logan was. He held out a hand and shook Logan’s before speaking.

“Admiral Malcolm Benson, Starfleet retired.” He stated. “You should come and meet my wife Ann and Bridie…..she’s still a little upset….only natural…..but we should do this now so everything is done in one go.”

Logan, Malcolm and Amy all walked back to the sofa where Ann and Bridie were sitting. Logan dropped down on to the floor in front of Bridie and attempted to take her hand. The girl was sobbing quietly and uncontrollable and when Logan touched her hand, she pulled it back violently and looked straight at him.

“Why are you crying ?” Logan asked. He obviously knew the answer to the question, but he asked it anyway.

“My parents…….are dead.” She replied, the words coming in between the sobbing. “I……I……I…..wish I could have them back.”

“So do I.” Logan stated, a note of sadness in is voice. The way Logan had said those words obviously caught Bridie’s attention because she looked up and straight into the eyes of Logan.

“Do I ….. know you ?” She asked.

“Yes and no.” Logan replied. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, a very long time. But I’ve never forgotten you…..you have always been in my heart.”

Bridie stared long and hard into Logan’s eyes, appearing to find something within his face that she recognised. Finally she broke contact and looked at her grandparents before speaking.

“You’re my……father.” She announced slowly. “…..my real father.”

“Yes.” Logan admitted.

“But I don’t understand….” She said, a note of panic coming into her voice as she looked at the others in the room. “….Why are you here ? Why now ?”

It was her grandmother who answered her in a soft, calming voice.

“Bridie dear, you know that we love you very much, but we’re too old now to become full-time parents to a teenager.” Ann Benson said. “It was your mother’s wish that should anything happen to her, you’d have a chance to meet and get to know Logan.”

“Bridie….” Logan announced. “….I never wanted this day to come, but as your grandmother said, they are too old to take on the full-time responsibility for you. Your mother knew that and over the past few days during my journey here, I’ve realised that I’ve been given a chance to get to know you. I want to get to know the daughter I had with your mother and I wish you’d give me a chance.”

”I don’t want to go.” Bridie said the sobbing growing louder once more. “I want to stay with the grandparents.”

“That’s not practical.” Councillor Tucker said.

“Bridie, I promise that you will be able to visit your grandparents as often as you wish and speak to them every day if you like.” Logan stated. “But I also want you to come back with me to Serenity. I think you’ll like it there, it’s very much like Earth and there’s lots of things to do, you’ll have your own room and everything. I want you to become part of my family again, for us to get a chance to catch up on all the things we’ve missed.”

“Do you have any other children ?” Bridie asked.

“No.” Logan admitted. “But I have a younger sister, who was about your age when we lost our parents. It was a tough ride, but we got through it together and if you’ll give me a chance, I can help you get through all the pain you’re feeling. I won’t lie to you, this will be hard on both of us and I’m guessing they’ll be a lot of tears shed before we’re finished.”

Bridie was silent for quite a while after Logan’s speech.

“So I’d have my own room ?” Bridie finally asked.

“Right next door to me and Rahel.” Logan answered.

“Who’s Rahel ?” Bridie enquired.

“Rahel is the woman I love.” Logan replied. “You know only a few days ago I asked her to marry me and she accepted.”

“Do you love her as much as you loved my mother ?” Bridie asked.

That was a hard question to answer, but Logan wasn’t going to start his new relationship with his daughter by lying.

“I loved your mother a great deal, but we never had the chance to really get to know each other as I have with Rahel.” Logan admitted. “I met your mother whilst we were at the academy together and we fell in love. But I had to leave after the third year to take care of Lana, my sister and your mother never told me she was pregnant, I guess she thought I had enough on my plate to deal with.”

“So you loved my mother ?” Bridie said sounding a little shocked. “I always thought you’d just left her behind. We never really talked about you, it always seemed to upset her.”

“I was shocked and felt betrayed when I finally found out about you.” Logan continued. “But I came to realise that your mother had fallen for David in a big way and that what they were trying to do was give you the best home you could have, that’s why I let go of you, but I never forgot about you.”

Bridie was silent once more, thinking through what was happening to her. For so many years she had made up her own answers to the questions she had about her real father, why he had not stayed with her mother, why talking about Logan was so hard for her mother to talk about. Now here he was, looking to make a connection with her once more. A sudden thought came into her head and for the first time in days a smile crossed her face.

“So…..” She said. “…..I guess you own me fourteen years worth of Birthday and Christmas presents.”

“Actually it’s only thirteen birthday presents.” Logan corrected her. “On your fifth birthday, the same year I discovered that I had a daughter I gave you a teddy bear.”

“ Milo…..”Bridie exclaimed. “….you gave me Milo ?”

Logan looked at Bridie with a little confusion, but Bridie soon put him right, rising from her seat and hugging Logan.

“Thank you.” She said, returning to the sofa.

“She’s still got him you know.” Ann Benson announced. “She doesn’t let her friends know that she still has a teddy bear, but for years she wouldn’t even go to bed unless Milo was with her.”

Bridie started to blush as her grandmother embarrassed her.

“So where do we go from here Bridie ?” Logan asked. “Do you come back to Serenity with me tomorrow or would you prefer to stay for a few days more on Earth.”

“Could you stay for a couple of days.” Bridie asked. “I’d like to see some of my friends before I leave.”

“Sure I think I can arrange that.” Logan stated. “There are a few friends I’d like to visit whilst I’m on Earth too.”