Two Wild & Crazy Guys

Any medical staff who were currently in sickbay got one of their usual pleasures in life - a sprinting entrance by Ensign Quarton.  The man, who to hear it from him, was at any moment on death's door.

Gasping for breath, Quarton managed to stammer, "I... am... dying... for... sure... this... time... I... know... it...."

The view along what was a long time ago known as Lake Shore Drive was still as breathtaking as ever.  Chief Petty Officer Dante McTiese walked it now; alongside him, an older woman.  The two said little.  There wasn't much to say.

"How's your new assignment coming along?"

"So far, no complaints."

"Any trouble?"

"Nothing I'm not used to... but it's amazing what you can get used to."

"Did you get my communication when you got in?"

"No, we..."  He caught himself just in time.  One of the few things he would never get used to.  Keeping something from his mother.  Sure, the Temporal Prime Directive stated no one could ever know what happened in the alternate timeline.  But, lying to his mother... It just felt wrong.  "We had some problems with our communicator array."

Shaking her head, Sarah Winters said, "Your father is ill.  The doctors are afraid it may be terminal."

Dante stared ahead and said nothing.

"I know how you feel about him.  And I know that nothing he has ever said or done has ever made you change your mind about him.  But, he is still your father."

"I know, Mom.  A fact that gets thrown in my face every single day of my life."

"Do you think its been easy on him?  On me?  You think it's a bed of roses being known as the wife of Harlan Winters?  How people I've known my entire life now treat me like I'm some untouchable peon?"  She held up her left hand.  "I took an oath.  Better or for worse.  And maybe there's been more worse than better.  But I have stuck by your father through all of it.  And maybe it's high time you did too."

Dante looked at his mother like she had lost her mind.

"Stick by him?  Do you know the hell my life has become?  Everywhere I go, I'm 'the traitor's kid'.  I couldn't even get into command training.  The second they found out who I was... all of a sudden, tons of red tape.  I can't even get the chance to prove I'm nothing like him... because no one will give me that chance!"

"It's been hard on him, too.  Not enough that everyone in Starfleet turned their backs on him.  Everyone on Earth spits after they say his name.  But to have his only son act like his own father doesn't exist..."

"Mom... I'm not having this conversation.  Maybe if he dies, I can actually get some peace."

He might have added something, except he was cut off by the slap across his face.

"If I ever hear you speak of your father that way again, I swear I will wear you out.  No matter what he has done, he is still your father."