Fic Post
Title: Into This World
Author: Leianora
Gift for: Mouse_42
Pairing: Rom/Leeta
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1174
Summary: Leeta and Rom contemplate one of the oldest questions a married couple must answer.
Leeta sighed with frustration as she realized that her mind was wandering, yet again. She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going to think about her problem while she was working, but her mind hadn’t been paying attention when she’d made this promise to herself during her morning prayers.
It had all started when Rom had innocently brought up the possibility of children. She’d been thinking about it since the day they got married--well, much sooner than that, if she was honest with herself--but nothing had prepared her for the conversation they’d had.
She’d explained that she loved Nog, and because he was Rom’s son, she felt that his concerns for his son were hers as well. Yet, in one of those amazing intuitive leaps Rom sometimes made, he had said the very thing she’d been secretly feeling in her heart of hearts. She wanted her own child. She longed to hold a baby that belonged to her and Rom. Having such a physical symbol of their love wasn’t, strictly speaking, necessary, but she wanted it, and, she realized, so did Rom.
The first thing she’d done after this revealing conversation, therefore, was go see Julian. She’d felt a bit nervous about that, but he’d made it much easier for them both by maintaining his professionalism and keeping their past out of their conversation.
“It is possible,” he said calmly. “There’s no reason, genetically speaking, why you two can’t have children. I’d have to do a bit of tweaking--Bajoran babies don’t gestate for nearly as long as Ferengi babies do--but that’ll be easy enough to handle.”
She’d been ecstatic, and when she’d finally gotten the opportunity to tell Rom, she could tell that he was as well. Only later had the doubts which currently plagued her mind assailed her. For those first golden moments, they were both very happy.
Later, she’d overheard one of the other dabo girls talking about her refusal to get pregnant during the war, and the thought of losing her child or Rom nearly caused her to pass out on the spot. The fears she’d somehow managed to stave off for so long surfaced in her mind like a raging river. They beat at her soul, making her shiver and blink back sudden tears. She had managed to keep her composure during her shift, but as soon as she’d finished for the evening, she’d returned to their quarters and cried herself to sleep. Rom had been working the late shift, much to her relief. She hadn’t wanted him to see her crying like that. It would only have caused him to worry or get upset.
That had been two days ago. Since that time, she’d prayed, but no answers had come to her. She wondered if her uncertainty was drowning out the answer the prophets were trying to send them. This morning, she’d tried meditating, hoping desperately that being still and silent would allow the answer to come clear, but she hadn’t felt any better when her hour was up, and she’d almost been late to work as well. Now, she was out of sorts.
“Leeta! What’s wrong with you? How long are the customers going to have to wait?”
She started, and stared at Quark in confusion. He pointed to her dabo table and she blushed when she realized that two Ferengi patrons were impatiently waiting for her to spin the wheel. Forcing herself to smile apologetically, she returned to her work.
“It isn’t easy,” Captain Ben Sisko said softly. His deep voice was filled with the compassion and sincerity she’d come to associate with the Emissary. “It’s a very big decision, and I’m afraid I can’t advise you on what you should do specifically. I can tell you this, though. If you do decide to have a child, no force in the galaxy will ever allow you to regret the decision once the child is born, at least, not for long.”
He gave her that brief flashing smile, and she found herself returning it. She wasn’t sure what had made her come to the captain for help. He, of all people, had enough troubles on his mind. Once she’d worked up the nerve to ask if she could speak to him, however, he’d given her his full attention. Though she was flattered, she could not help but feel a twinge of guilt for bothering him with such a trivial matter. Her expression must have reflected her doubts, because his next words both startled and relieved her.
“This is one of the problems I actually don’t mind helping to fix. Thinking about, talking about, and planning for any attacks is getting very tiresome,” he commented casually.
Though he hadn’t said so directly, she knew that he was reassuring her that she wasn’t bothering him at all. In light of this, she stayed a little longer to chat.
When Rom got home later, she was waiting for him. She’d made up her mind. She and the captain had talked about how war shouldn’t prevent people from going about their daily lives. They’d argued the pros and cons of having children during a war, but his last words had stuck in her mind. Indeed, they still rang in her head. The prophets had sent her an answer. They had used their own emissary to do it, and she’d heard it.
“Rom,” she began, “I’ve been thinking about the conversation we had the other day.”
“Conversation? Which conversation?” He asked, looking adorably confused.
She smiled warmly, loving that look of honest befuddlement he now wore.
The conversation we had about having children,” she reminded him. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I want to know what you think. You know how much having your child would mean to me, but I don’t think it would be such a good idea right now.”
Rom was silent, and Leeta feared that she’d just upset him terribly. He crossed the room and sat down beside her. The look on his face was not one of disappointment, however. Instead, he wore an expression which looked like relief. Her doubts were dispelled when he smiled. He was definitely relieved, she realized. Her heart lifted with joy.
“I… I’m so glad you said that,” he admitted sheepishly. “I didn’t want to say it, but yesterday, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I was trying to figure out a way to tell you what I was thinking, but I couldn’t. I even went to Chief O-Brien for some advice, and all he would tell me was that I should just be honest and then be ready to kiss and make up later. I guess we don’t have to do that now though, right?”
Leeta laughed her relief and love for this man shining in her eyes and heart.
“Well, we could if you want to,” she said, smiling sweetly at him.
Rom stared at her with a dazed expression, and then grinned his silly, sweet grin.
Together, they rose and made their way into their bedroom and closed the door.
Author: Leianora
Gift for: Mouse_42
Pairing: Rom/Leeta
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1174
Summary: Leeta and Rom contemplate one of the oldest questions a married couple must answer.
Leeta sighed with frustration as she realized that her mind was wandering, yet again. She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going to think about her problem while she was working, but her mind hadn’t been paying attention when she’d made this promise to herself during her morning prayers.
It had all started when Rom had innocently brought up the possibility of children. She’d been thinking about it since the day they got married--well, much sooner than that, if she was honest with herself--but nothing had prepared her for the conversation they’d had.
She’d explained that she loved Nog, and because he was Rom’s son, she felt that his concerns for his son were hers as well. Yet, in one of those amazing intuitive leaps Rom sometimes made, he had said the very thing she’d been secretly feeling in her heart of hearts. She wanted her own child. She longed to hold a baby that belonged to her and Rom. Having such a physical symbol of their love wasn’t, strictly speaking, necessary, but she wanted it, and, she realized, so did Rom.
The first thing she’d done after this revealing conversation, therefore, was go see Julian. She’d felt a bit nervous about that, but he’d made it much easier for them both by maintaining his professionalism and keeping their past out of their conversation.
“It is possible,” he said calmly. “There’s no reason, genetically speaking, why you two can’t have children. I’d have to do a bit of tweaking--Bajoran babies don’t gestate for nearly as long as Ferengi babies do--but that’ll be easy enough to handle.”
She’d been ecstatic, and when she’d finally gotten the opportunity to tell Rom, she could tell that he was as well. Only later had the doubts which currently plagued her mind assailed her. For those first golden moments, they were both very happy.
Later, she’d overheard one of the other dabo girls talking about her refusal to get pregnant during the war, and the thought of losing her child or Rom nearly caused her to pass out on the spot. The fears she’d somehow managed to stave off for so long surfaced in her mind like a raging river. They beat at her soul, making her shiver and blink back sudden tears. She had managed to keep her composure during her shift, but as soon as she’d finished for the evening, she’d returned to their quarters and cried herself to sleep. Rom had been working the late shift, much to her relief. She hadn’t wanted him to see her crying like that. It would only have caused him to worry or get upset.
That had been two days ago. Since that time, she’d prayed, but no answers had come to her. She wondered if her uncertainty was drowning out the answer the prophets were trying to send them. This morning, she’d tried meditating, hoping desperately that being still and silent would allow the answer to come clear, but she hadn’t felt any better when her hour was up, and she’d almost been late to work as well. Now, she was out of sorts.
“Leeta! What’s wrong with you? How long are the customers going to have to wait?”
She started, and stared at Quark in confusion. He pointed to her dabo table and she blushed when she realized that two Ferengi patrons were impatiently waiting for her to spin the wheel. Forcing herself to smile apologetically, she returned to her work.
“It isn’t easy,” Captain Ben Sisko said softly. His deep voice was filled with the compassion and sincerity she’d come to associate with the Emissary. “It’s a very big decision, and I’m afraid I can’t advise you on what you should do specifically. I can tell you this, though. If you do decide to have a child, no force in the galaxy will ever allow you to regret the decision once the child is born, at least, not for long.”
He gave her that brief flashing smile, and she found herself returning it. She wasn’t sure what had made her come to the captain for help. He, of all people, had enough troubles on his mind. Once she’d worked up the nerve to ask if she could speak to him, however, he’d given her his full attention. Though she was flattered, she could not help but feel a twinge of guilt for bothering him with such a trivial matter. Her expression must have reflected her doubts, because his next words both startled and relieved her.
“This is one of the problems I actually don’t mind helping to fix. Thinking about, talking about, and planning for any attacks is getting very tiresome,” he commented casually.
Though he hadn’t said so directly, she knew that he was reassuring her that she wasn’t bothering him at all. In light of this, she stayed a little longer to chat.
When Rom got home later, she was waiting for him. She’d made up her mind. She and the captain had talked about how war shouldn’t prevent people from going about their daily lives. They’d argued the pros and cons of having children during a war, but his last words had stuck in her mind. Indeed, they still rang in her head. The prophets had sent her an answer. They had used their own emissary to do it, and she’d heard it.
“Rom,” she began, “I’ve been thinking about the conversation we had the other day.”
“Conversation? Which conversation?” He asked, looking adorably confused.
She smiled warmly, loving that look of honest befuddlement he now wore.
The conversation we had about having children,” she reminded him. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I want to know what you think. You know how much having your child would mean to me, but I don’t think it would be such a good idea right now.”
Rom was silent, and Leeta feared that she’d just upset him terribly. He crossed the room and sat down beside her. The look on his face was not one of disappointment, however. Instead, he wore an expression which looked like relief. Her doubts were dispelled when he smiled. He was definitely relieved, she realized. Her heart lifted with joy.
“I… I’m so glad you said that,” he admitted sheepishly. “I didn’t want to say it, but yesterday, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I was trying to figure out a way to tell you what I was thinking, but I couldn’t. I even went to Chief O-Brien for some advice, and all he would tell me was that I should just be honest and then be ready to kiss and make up later. I guess we don’t have to do that now though, right?”
Leeta laughed her relief and love for this man shining in her eyes and heart.
“Well, we could if you want to,” she said, smiling sweetly at him.
Rom stared at her with a dazed expression, and then grinned his silly, sweet grin.
Together, they rose and made their way into their bedroom and closed the door.