Child's play

Posted on 31 Jul 2020 @ 1:58am by Lieutenant Jeremy Ezio & Civilian Eddie Reynolds

Mission: Mission 4 - Race against the machine
Location: Counselling
1857 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

“Mum this really isn’t necessary...” the young blond whined.

“Your father and I are both in agreement. You got shot by your girlfriend Eddie ....”

“My friend ... she’s my friend,”

“Good. Your too young for a proper girlfriend anyway,” Charlotte Reynolds informed her son as the arrived and she pressed the chime to Counselor Ezio’s office. “You need to address it anyway, I’ve heard you waking up a few times dreaming.”

The door opened. "Come on in, which of my appointments is here?" Jeremy had his face almost buried in a stack of PADDs. He seemed to have lost track of time and forgot who was his next call.

“Eddie Reynolds. I made the appointment for him. I’m his mother and Jon requested it as well. It has to be you as your boss .. well she’s now family apparently so there’s a conflict of interest there. Anyway he’s all yours. Go on Eddie don’t keep the counsellor waiting. I’ll catch up with you later on at dinner,” she stated firmly.

"Oh hello Mrs Reynolds," the hybrid counselor smiled. "Come on in Eddie, I don't bite I promise." He did seem a little baffled at a minor being left without a parental supervisor. Usually, or at least in his experience, parents tended to insist to be present.

"My dad trusts you being his counselor and she hates counselors on account of shes not got her head round dad dating True now," Eddie shrugged offering in explanation. He walked in. "Soooooo do I just sit then?"

"Or stand, or lean against the wall," Jeremy smiled, "whatever makes you feel comfortable. Would you like to tell me what happened with Mirror Fox?"

Eddie rolled his eyes slightly at the mention of mirror Fox. “Total nutcase that one. Yeah we can talk about the red witch but can I replicate something first?” He asked. “I’m hungry.”

"Of course... you're a young man and you still need to grow." Jeremy smiled at him. "My son has these eating urges too at times. Much to my daughter's annoyance, who just thinks he'll get fat." He gestured towards the replicator. "Help yourself Eddie."

The blond replicated himself a plate of chicken tenders and a dish of red sauce which he proceeded to dip them in. He sat down on the couch and after swallowing started talking.

“Tia wanted a secret spot. I found one. We had a ... I don’t know .. i never understand what’s going on. It wasn’t an argument.. but it was weird. You know we have some weird link thing?”

"That is my understanding," Jeremy answered quietly, watching the young man eat for a moment. "Can you tell me what your argument was about? What led up to it, and what happened afterwards?"

"Well she didn't seem best pleased that I had kissed a girl before. And we are not together. She made it clear she only wanted me as a friend," He muttered.

"Anyway that crazy link thing. Made me come back later. She fell asleep after I left her and i found her and woke her up to get her back to bed or her folks would go mental and thats when the red witch stumbled on us," he shrugged. "Making her elaborate escape attempt."

"She needed you," Jeremy mused, "and she seemed...jealous." he smiled encouragingly. "You are still young Eddie, very young. Both of you, of course she still wants you as a friend, but perhaps in time it'll grow into more. Especially since you seem bonded, you are going to have to allow yourselves to grow up." He paused, making a few notes. "Tell me about the red witch... what happened?"

"Well I can't read jealousy yet so who knows," Eddie groused. "But I find it all very irksome. Women in general. And if you like someone you don't shoot them for the goddesses sakes.

Do you actually understand them?" he demanded of the Trill before stuffing another chicken tender in his mouth. "Women?" he asked chewing.

"Actually I do," Jeremy answered, "through my symbiont, who has been both man and woman before me, several times over. My personal preference is not at issue right now, however. And from the report I saw, she shot you, to save your life. Stunned you, so Fox would have to take her instead."

"Yes but … but it shouldn't have got to that. I had things under control. I distracted the witch and told her to run. She didn't run," Eddie said crossly. "She wanted me not Tia. I was useful to her because I was the Captains son. The witch said that."

"Exactly, and that's why she didn't run, because she wanted to deny her leverage." Jeremy leaned forward. "Love makes one do crazy things Eddie. Haven't you seen your parents do crazy things before? Either for each other, respective new partners, or even for you?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Well Dad did kind of in a roundabout way propose to True when her brother started asking questions at dinner. But I'm still mad at her. Being shot sucks."

"There are worse things Eddie," Jeremy confided to him, "than being shot, or being protected by someone who cares about you. You should talk to her."

"Yeah well that's a bit difficult at present on account of I'm grounded forever," the teen grouses further. "And dad always says if you need to speak to a woman you do it in person. So it will have to wait till I'm forgiven again."

"Perhaps you could call her, and ask her to come to you?" Jeremy suggested, "or ask your dad if perhaps you could meet her just to talk to her? This does sound very important Eddie, and you shouldn't put it off otherwise it might fester."

“I’ll think about it,” Eddie responded after a moment. “How do I erase the awful kiss the witch gave me?” He asked.

"You can't." Jeremy shook his head. "Unfortunately, bad memories can't be erased. But you can try to sort of replace them with happier memories. The best thing you can do, is try to give it a place but that might not be just as easy to do." He closed his eyes for a moment as Ezio twitched in his pouch, he just never could get used to that feeling, especially not combined with the memory of losing him, even if it was brief. Loss and betrayal, all combined. Jeremy opened his eyes again, forgetting his patient was an empath. "Just...don't think of it too often," he recommended.

"Something still gives you pain doesn't it?" Eddie blurted out. "Sorry my empathic abilities are waking up. Im starting to recognise what's what."

"There's nothing worse than betrayal," Jeremy answered slowly, "especially by a loved one. it's memories I'd rather forget, but can't thanks to my symbiont. You see... I was injured so bad once, that Ezio had to be placed in someone else.. and that someone betrayed me with my own husband. It's a burden I'll forever carry. But you have the luxury of being able to forget about it all. Erasing it is not an option either, but you are better suited to giving it a place, and I'll do my best to help you with that."

The memory however was so painful, it caused tears to well up in the counselor's eyes. He made no effort to hide them however, wanting to show that hurting was alright. That there was no shame in it.

Eddie spotted the mans tears and grabbed a tissue from the box on his table handing it to him. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"How do I give it a place then?" he asked not sure what the counselor meant about his memory.

"By accepting that it happened." Jeremy accepted the tissue. "Some counselor am I... advising you to give this a place, when I can't do that with my ex husband's beytrayal. But I can't forget, it's forever part of my symbiont...that's the difference." He paused, taking a few deep breaths. "Talking about it may help," he offered, "to someone you trust."

"Well there's not much more I can say. Crazy attractive evil XO kissed me in front of the girl I actually like who's friend zoned me .... and then she shot me," Eddie reasoned.

"Friend zoned?" A single eyebrow shot up in surprise. "from what I understand, she stunned you because she wanted to save your life. How does that make you feel?"

"Well happy of course. But she has friend zoned me. I asked her out a while back and she said she just wanted to be my friend," Eddie clarified.

"You're both still very young," Jeremy supplied with a smile, "enjoy being friends for a few years and when you're a proper adult, see about dating. There's no need to rush things is there?"

"I know and I respect that with her. But I want a girlfriend. It might be rushing things in your eyes but I've had one before moving to this ship. I kind of of liked it. I'd like that again. But now I have this weird link with Tia and that makes it even more of a mine field. I like her, everyone wants me to be friends with her including her. Yet if I do meet someone else what happens then?" Eddie asked.

"And then your talking earlier that love makes you do strange things and she's jealous. And she's wanting movie nights and date like stuff yet just as a friend. I'm allowed to be completely confused aren't I?" he added frustrated.

"You are perfectly allowed to be confused. But if you have this telepathic connection with her, then there is probably a reason for that. has it occurred to you that, perhaps this is meant to be? That if you were not meant to be together, this link might not have been formed at all?" He was no expect on the subject of telepathy, he had no skills in that area whatsoever. "I still recommend just taking things easy, get to know her as a friend and who knows what time does. "

"Right," Eddie said not quite understanding why the goddesses would place the girl who was meant to be right in his life with a weird bond at 13. "Okay but for the moment Im still mad at her."

"There is no reason to be Eddie." Jeremy grinned. "Be grateful you have a bond at this age, Vulcan children are bonded at an even younger age, and they are compelled to meet again when they are adults, regardless of what path they've taken in life."

"Fascinating," Eddie deadpanned in a very good impression of a Vulcan. "Look counselor. I'm okay. Really. Have I talked enough I can go now?"

The Trill hybrid nodded. "Yes you may go, but I want to meet with you again in a few days. I will make sure your parents will receive the appointment."

"Look after yourself Doc," Eddie said making his escape.