Struggle for Innocence

 Episode Name:  Struggle for Innocence

   Written By:  Eidolon

         Cast:  Eidolon, Lanie and Svetlana.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Eidolon

     Aired On:  Mon Sep 26 15:10:02 2005

     Stardate:  55292.2

Time: Mon Sep 26 13:37:56 2005

Stardate: 55292.1

Lanie's sitting in the very back row, way at the far end, as if she's in a class and got the very farthest possible seat away. Which is sort of exactly what she did, as the earlier class just disbanded only ten minutes prior and she's used the time to go over notes and things. "I'm sorry, the civilian class on preparing a child for the Academy isn't for another hour and a half," she calls out halfheartedly, eyes on her PADD after a quick glance up, spotting an unfamiliar blonde dressed as a civilian. So of course, she only makes the most logical assumption. "There'll be more than enough seating if you were worried about getting here early to find a seat."

"I am not here for a class on preparing a child for the Academy," Svetlana replies softly, her accent carrying quite clearly. "As I've already sent all my sons to the Academy... Katie."

The smile on Lanie's face, usually present and usually friendly and open, freezes to a neutral expression. Then the smile fades to a look of shock. The shock? It slides into a look of horror for a brief, brief moment. "Ohmyg-- You-- you're Svetlana Suslov, aren't you?" she stammers after a moment, rising to her feet, PADD set aside with a faint thud as she sets it down. "Why, I mean how, I mean-- you're here." Finally the shock fades enough for her to give a twitch of a smile. "Hi, it's nice to finally meet you. I mean, in person. I mean... hi. Please, come sit."

. o O Lanie thinks, "What's she doing here? Wait, Kaitlyn Arlene, you /invited/ her. But she's /here/. Where's Anastasia? Oh come on, you know where she is. She's at the child care center. Just calm down, nobody's going to run off with her. We're all adults here."

Svetlana tugs on the hem of her sweater before she actually decides to brave the interior of the training center. "You are looking well," the older woman observes in a rather neutral tone as she moves to settle into a seat.

. o O Svetlana is on edge, nervous.

Lanie takes a breath and sits up a bit straighter as Svetlana approaches. She plasters her best smile back onto her face and sits back down herself. There's a long moment, almost an awkward one, before she begins. "I uhm, welcome. And thank you. I mean, you do, too. From what I saw. In the images. I--" she puts her fingertips to her forehead, shaking her head a little. "I'm sorry. I'm nervous. I tend to... talk a lot when I'm nervous."

"Is there a reason to be nervous?" Svetlana asks softly, her right eyebrow arching in a questioning manner. "I am here to see my grandaughter, not to abscond with her like a thief in the night."

. o O Svetlana thinks, "She's afraid of me."

Lanie laughs softly, shaking her head. "No, I just-- well, I wasn't expecting you to show up. At least, not without proper warning. So you're here. Are you alone? Did you have a good trip? Do you want to go see her? How long are you here for?"

"I came alone so that I could see things for myself without the coloration that Mikhail or the boys would put on them," Svetlana replies after a moment of silent thought. "My trip was as good as it could be expected to be, and I do not anticipate staying for long. I came here first so that..." she pauses, then lowers her eyes to the floor, "... I could see you with my own eyes, and know that my Ivan and his Kaitlyn are truly gone." Her voice quivers ever-so-slightly.

. o O Svetlana's grief wells up anew, threatening to overwhelm her.

Lanie's eyes veer sidways and down a little for a moment as an emotion flickers over her features. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that the emotion could be guilt. "I'm sorry," she says softly, starting to reach a hand out toward Svetlana's arm, then awkwardly pulling it back before it moves more than an inch. "I know, it's hard to adjust to it. I lost people I cared a great deal about, only to have versions here now that I realize I hardly know at all. You aren't the only one going through this. You aren't alone."

Svetlana takes a steadying breath before she meets Lanie's gaze once more. "Perhaps not," she replies softly. "But, still, it does not ease the ache in my heart. How is Anastasia?"

"She's good," Lanie says, making an attempt to be chipper. "She's talking, walking, babbling a lot. She likes eating cereal bits almost as much as she likes throwing them onto the floor. It's very cute. She's a very good child. Very loving, too."

Svetlana closes her eyes as she hears that. "That is good to hear," she murmurs, nodding before she takes a deep breath. "Perhaps when you are done with your duties for the day, I will come to your quarters and visit the both of you... and your husband, of course." The last part is added with just a hint of bitterness in the tone.

. o O Svetlana thinks, "It will be hard to see a man who is not Ivan interacting with my Anastasia."

"So you know," Lanie responds, sitting back a little in the chair. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I figured it was hard enough without adding that on right away. I didn't want to cause you any more unnecessary stress or pain, thinking your son's wife was married to someone else and he's only been gone a short time." Her voice drops a little, heavy with sincerity. "I've been in love with Caleb Foster since I can remember. We've been together since we were teenagers. But aside from my choice of husbands, there is little else different in my life than in the life of the Kaitlyn you knew. I can only imagine that had I met Ivan before Caleb, or perhaps had Caleb and I never gotten together, it wouldn't surprise me if in my own timeline I'd've fallen in love with your son."

"It never happened for you," Svetlana replies, tipping her head slightly. "I cannot hold those things against you which you are not responsible for, but, by the same token, you must understand my concerns about my grandaughter. You are her mother because your genetic makeup is the same as the woman that actually gave birth to her; I can accept that." She sighs heavily. "But, I must see that you are... connected to her. She's all I have left of my precious Ivan."

"I know," Lanie says, slowly reaching her hand out again toward Svetlana's. "Believe me, I wish none of this ever happened. I'd give anything for your Ivan and Kaitlyn and their daughter to be together as they were. But they're gone. And all I can do is swear to you that I've been doing, and will continue to do, my best to be a good mother to her."

Svetlana takes the hand and holds it for a moment before she stands. "I sincerely hope that your best is good enough," she replies without malice in her tone. "I would not want to cause more pain and suffering for you and yours." With yet another heavy sigh, she releases the hand and turns away with tears shimmering in her eyes. "I... I will stop in later."

Lanie nods, watching Svetlana as she leaves, giving her a bit of a smile, though the smile fades just a tiny bit. "I'm glad you're here," she whispers into the empty room, as if she'd been afraid to speak the words when Svetlana was present.