Homecoming, Part One

Posted on Aug 22, 2014 @ 11:52am by Commander Jacob Crichton & Ambassador Xana Bonviva
Edited on on Aug 22, 2014 @ 12:06pm

Mission: The Tangled Webs We Weave
Timeline: Homecoming

"Homecoming"



=/\=



Location: EARTH

Stardate: [2.14] 0803.2149

Scene: Bonviva Villa



Jake Crichton frowned at the comm terminal, which at this moment contained an image of John Hiram, Xana’s chief of staff and all-around right hand man. Hiram was one of the few people in the galaxy that could say they knew Xana better than Jake did, and when it came to dealing with Xana’s office, talking to Hiram was often as good as talking to Xana herself.



Often, but not always.



“What do you mean ‘you don’t know where she is’?” Jake asked, his frown deepening.



{{I’m sorry, Jake,}} Hiram said, looking guilty. {{When the kids were taken, Secretary Bonviva took a leave of absence. Her official destination was RISA, and we have reports confirming she arrived. But she hasn’t made contact in over a week.}}



“So check your contacts on RISA,” Jake said.



{{We *have*, Jake,}} John said. {{She’s not there. She was, but she left.}}



“She left,” Jake repeated.



{{I’m sorry,}} Hiram said again. {{Jake, I’m sure she’s fine.}}



“Somebody *kidnapped* our kids, John,” Jake said. “She probably went out looking for them herself. She could be in trouble.”



{{You were gone,}} Hiram said. {{The kids were taken, nobody could find *you*--}}



“*Don’t* try to turn this around on me,” Jake said.



{{Let me finish,}} Hiram said, holding up a hand to cut him off. {{She was out of her mind, Jake. She put on a good show, she always does, but she was barely holding it together.}}



“Weren’t you just trying to convince me she’s fine?”



{{She did the only thing she could do,}} Hiram said. {{She played ball. It couldn’t have been easy, but she did. She wouldn’t do anything that might put the kids in danger.}}



“I’m more worried that the whole thing was a plot to get her away from her security detail,” Jake said.



{{Why? What have you heard?}}



For a moment, Jake considered telling Hiram all about the Neo-Essentialists, Edgerton, what had happened in the Beta Quadrant… but he remembered Kane’s talk with the senior staff before they’d gone planetside. They had to be careful, had to make sure Edgerton didn’t find out how much they already knew. Xana trusted John Hiram more than anyone, surely he couldn’t be one of Edgerton’s people… but then, Stonn had seemed like a decent enough guy too.



“Nothing,” Jake said.



{{Jake, we have all our people working on this,}} Hiram said, trying to console him. {{The news of the CENTURY’s return hit all the networks. I’m sure she’s on her way home even as we speak.}}



“Fine,” Jake said. “John, you notify me the *instant* you know something, you understand?”



{{I will.}}



“I’m serious,” Jake said. “I don’t care if I’m asleep, or in the shower, or sitting in front of the goddamn Admiralty Board, you tell me.”



{{I will,}} John said again. {{I want her back as much as you do, Jake.}}



“I doubt it,” Jake said, and cut the connection before Hiram could reply.



=/\=

Location: EARTH

Scene: Paris, France - John Hiram’s apartment

TI: A few days later

~~RING~~



John rolled over and groaned. Without opening up his brown eyes he smacked around blindly he finally found his communication device and mumbled in a mostly coherent voice, “Hiram here.”



All the while a dozen thoughts raced through his brain, **Shit, not the Romulan thing, I don’t have that brief here...wait what if we’re finally hearing about the committee meetings on the Delta Quad expansion...oh it could be the meeting over at Versailles, did I set that up?**



[[So I resigned. How...fascinating. Tell me, John. What else did I do while I was gone?]]



John bolted up in bed. He hadn’t heard from *that* voice in a while. “Secretary *Bonviva*--”



[[I wasn’t aware that taking a Leave of Absence, you know a right I have as Federation employee and I know this because I made sure to twist enough arms in the Federation Council two years ago to get that passed, suddenly meant that I was no longer a Secretary of Starfleet. In fact now that I think of it it means the *exact opposite*.]]



“No one heard from you,” John pointed out while wiping his face from the sweat that pouring down it. He hated the press - this is why the Office of the Secretary of the Starfleet had a Press Secretary. Why the Press Secretary couldn’t haven’t done that stupid interview...



There was a long sigh then. [[I could argue here but as I'll be planetside in a few hours...I’ll take care of it.]]



John exhaled; who knew what that meant except more work.



[[Except one thing.]]



He closed his eyes, as if the onslaught of more more was a physical rush about to knock him on his ass. “Yes ma’am?” he said.



[[I’m sending a young woman, Anissa, your way. Lovely lady, she needs a job. Something with the public. I’m sure you can find something. Grazie, John.]]



Then the line went dead.



“Great,” John muttered as he flopped back on his pillows forgetting all about calling Jake Crichton.



=/\=

Location: EARTH

Scene: Venice, Italy - Villa Bonviva



Xana stood outside her home long after sunset with Angus next to her. She desperately wanted to go inside but instead she forced herself to do something she hadn’t done in a long time.



She stared at her house. It had been her home growing up, and even after her parents moved on to smaller places this was still where she considered home. She recalled the teasings from her friends -- the “Monstrosity of the Laguna” she remembered the Prophecy crew called it. When the Gateway crew visited they insisted doing a remodel because that’s what they were doing back at the station. She remembered all the dinners held where policy and politics were discussed while Dahlia and then Benito ran around.



She could look at the home objectively - she could see the beige two story home, the only exception being the ivy covered North parapet which went to three stories. The white curtains in the living room were drawn, as were the red curtains in the guest room in the 2nd floor above that. The hedges along the edge of the property were beautiful as they framed the property. And Xana knew if she walked around she could see the Laguna and watch the boats go by and watch the sun come up or go down, while drinking a tea or cappuccino.



It was a gorgeous home, built up over decades by various people. Her family had built this home, yes; but then her friends who had no ties here, and some of whom never came back, also poured themselves into this home. When looking at the home, it was hard not to become misty-eyed. It was the result of generations of hard-work, love and friendship; a testament to the best and brightest.



It was home; but it was *her* home. Maybe Dahlia and Benito would agree but Jake...no he’d never agree that it was home. It was just a place he lived between assignments. He only lived here because that’s what Xana wanted, and even then...he was meant for ship life. Now the kids were at risk here and before that they had wanted to be with him. To be honest, she wanted to be with him too.



So then it wasn’t a family home. Not really.



Picking up her bag, she began to walk inside with Angus walking in with her; it was time to change that.



=/\=



“Ben, come on, let’s go,” Jake called. He stood outside the bathroom and looked at his son who was standing in the doorway of his room.



“Need one more toy,” Ben protested as he went darting for the stairs.



“It’s a sonic shower,” Jake protested with a grin. “You’ll be in and out.”



“Be right back!” Ben yelled as went scrambling down the stairs.



Dahlia stuck her head out of her room at that. With a grin she asked, “You fell for that?”



Ben heard his sister and father talking while he went darting down the stairs. Looking around for his favorite blue submarine he absentmindedly saw someone out of the corner of his eye. “Hi Mama - have you seen my blue submarine?” he asked, focused on the task at hand.



“Why isn’t it in your toy chest in your room?” Xana replied automatically, more than a little nonplussed that her son bypassed her for a toy.



“I had it today when Daddy--” Ben started as he looked under the table. Looking up he suddenly realized who he was talking to. “Mama?” he asked. He went running to his mother’s open arms as she knelt down, immediately forgetting (momentarily) about his toy submarine. As she scooped him up in her arms, he snuggled his little face in the crook of her neck.



“I missed you, Mama,” he whispered.



“Missed you too, bambino,” his mother whispered. “Think we should tell your sister and father I’m home?” she asked. Not letting go, Benito wrapped his arms tighter and legs tighter around his mother. “Per favore, Benito,” she asked.



“MAMA’S HOME,” Benito yelled; right in Xana’s left ear.



“Benito, they are *not* in my eardrum,” the Bolian/Human woman grinned. Still it did the trick as Dahlia and Jake came running down the stairs within moments. Although Xana had adjusted Benito to the side to grab Dahlia, she hadn’t realize the force her 9 year old would crash into her so they all went tumbling down.



Right onto the marble floor.



“Oof,” Xana exhaled; thankfully the kids landed mostly on her so she took most of the brunt of the floor but still they wound up a little bumped up. Jake grinned at the sight the three of them made and knelt on the ground next to them.



“Hey,” he smiled. Then he helped her, and the kids up. “Let me clean up here,” he said nodding to her bag that got overturned when she went tumbling over, “and I’ll join you guys inside.”



“Ok,” she smiled. So much had changed since the last time she had seen Jake and yet...he felt like his old self, the man she had married years ago, not the stranger she had drifted apart from.



Leaning in she gave him a kiss. “Come on in, we’ve got a lot to catch up on.”



Jake nodded, and was happy to watch her and the kids go off. Shoving most of her stuff back into her bag, he petted Angus for a moment before a PADD caught his eye. That wasn’t new; Xana often had lots of PADDs with her. But the simplicity of the words caught his eyes…



Dear Mr. President:

I hereby resign as the 167th Secretary of Starfleet, effective upon the immediate appointment of my successor.

It has been an honor to serve in your administration and to represent the Federation around the galaxy. I am proud of what we have accomplished together on behalf of the Federation’s people and in pursuit of our interests and values. And I am more convinced than ever in the strength and staying power of Federation's universal leadership and our capacity to be a force for good.

On a personal note, it has been a pleasure to work with you and your team. Thank you, Mr. President, for your friendship, and for the opportunity to serve in your Cabinet.

With gratitude and warm regards, I am sincerely yours,

Xana Bonviva

=/\=

Time Index: Later That Evening

The kids were asleep, though Benito had demanded that Xana stay to snuggle with him until he feel asleep, a request that Xana was eager to oblige. Dahlia had contented herself with a kiss and a long, tight hug, and the promise that they would all get up early tomorrow to cook breakfast together. Jake saw the young girl off to bed while Xana climbed into bed next to Ben, brushing her fingers lightly through hair until his soft snoring confirmed that he'd gone to sleep.

Xana carefully untangled herself from the boy's grasp and softly closed his door. She turned and went downstairs, and found Jake in the kitchen. There was a bottle of wine opened, with one empty glass next to it. Jake was holding another glass, this one half-full.

"Wine?" Xana blinked. "You're not usually the type."

"I save it for special occasions," Jake winked, pouring some into the empty glass and sliding it over to her.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Crichton?" Xana smiled.

"Not at all," Jake said. "I just think it's important to stay hydrated."

"Alcohol de-hydrates you," Xana said, though she picked up the glass and took a sip just the same.

"See, this is why I'm an engineer, and not a scientist," Jake grinned. "I just have no eye for detail."

"Come here," Xana said, and he did. They kissed, and held each other for a long moment, not saying anything, Xana's head resting against Jake's chest. It felt good, felt like it had been a very long time since they'd just stood like that, as husband and wife.

"I was so scared," Xana said finally.

"I know," Jake said. "I could feel it. Not all the time, but when things were quiet--"

"And I haven't even asked what happened to *you*," Xana said, looking up at him. "Jake, what happened out there?'"

"I promise we can talk about it, but not yet," Jake said. Then, sounding a little guilty, he added: "I have orders."

"Orders? From Kane?"

"It's a long, and depressing story," Jake sighed. "And I just can't talk about it now."

"Okay," Xana nodded. "I trust you. Just, promise me you're okay, Jake."

"I promise," Jake smiled.

"Good," Xana smiled. They kissed again. It felt good. So did the wine.


=/\=

NRPG: Alternate titles for this post were "The Post Where Everyone Avoids Talking about The Stuff They Should Talk About" or "The Anti-Emo Return". Ultimately I settled on simpler title ;)


Shawn: Thanks for writing with me!


=/\=

Shawn Putnam

a.k.a.

Jake Crichton, Commander

Chief of Engineering

USS CENTURY


and


Sarah Albertini-Bond

Xana Bonviva

Secretary of Starfleet