Child of Dreams
I arise from dreams of thee, In the first sweet sleep of night, When the winds are breathing low, And the stars are shining bright, I arise from dreams of thee, And a spirit in my feet, Has led me -- who knows how? -- To thy chamber-window, sweet! ...
Poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Chapter 2
Possible spoilers for Fusion and Shadows of P'Jem. Author edits as necessary for creative license.
Awareness, when it came again, was cloaked once more in dream and memory. He knew he was dreaming just as he knew it was a memory. He was aware enough to question why he kept returning to this place with this woman. Candlelight flickered against the walls, illuminating her face as she sat in front of the candle. There were shadows in her eyes and he recognized them. His heart jumped when she spoke. “Do you...dream?”
He heard himself answer yes, but the part of him that was aware, that was watching as this scene played out, wondered if there were anything but dreams. Why here? Why this time and place? What is it I am looking for here? Why T’Pol?” His thoughts were interrupted as she spoke again.
“Is it...enjoyable?”
His answer was lost as the scene shifted. Dizziness assailed him, sending vision and color into blurry swirls of stimuli. As they cleared, he was standing with T’Pol in his arms. Blood stained the side of her uniform. Fires blazed in the darkness and he the men he faced seemed determined to take her from him. “Archer, she is no longer your responsibility. We will treat her on the Na'Varr.”
He stood, lifting her, shifting her close. “She’s still mine!”
Memory and dream fell away and darkness returned. Archer... He rolled it over in his mind, testing it. It felt familiar and comfortable, his name then. Archer, yes. He was Archer. Her voice floated to him once more and he drew it in. “Do you dream?” Always, he thought. Was the dreaming enjoyable? The dream of her he kept revisiting seemed to be. Was there something here though? Some reason he was remembering this place and her?
A soft giggle floated to him, drawing him from his reflection. It was an intriguing sound. It pierced the blackness around him like a ray of light, forcing him back to reality. His eye opened as he heard the sound again and he turned his head to locate the source. He didn’t have far to look. Tiny hands gripped the side of the bed near his head and as he watched, a little face popped up from the edge of it. An impish giggle, followed by a whispered “boo” emerged from the little mouth, and mischievious hazel eyes twinkled back at him. As the child noticed he was awake, it crowed a jubulient “Bah-ba!” and tried to crawl up onto the bed with him.
Archer sat up slowly. It didn’t occur to him not to help the child onto the bed. Hahn Leyna had told him of children. He assumed this was one of them. As the little one scrambled onto his lap and threw an eager little body against his own, something clicked in his mind. Familarity again, especially as the sweet baby scent washed his senses. He knew this child, had held him before, knew it was a him, though the shaggy brown hair and shapeless white jumper gave him no clues.
The boy babbled an incessant stream of “Bah-ba” in his ear. Father... the boy was calling him father. It was a frightening thought and yet, comforting as well. A soft sound caught his ear, and he looked toward it. Standing at the foot of his bed where three more children. His breath caught as he took them in. They all resembled each other and the little mite in his arms. His thoughts shifted and his eyes closed and he could see himself tumbling with them on the floor. All of them were laughing. Unable to resist, he beckoned them forward. The oldest, a beautiful little girl with honey gold skin and dark brown hair, moved first. She was reed thin and looked about 4 or 5 years old. As she walked, the long braided cord of her hair swayed behind her, nearly brushing the ground. As she approached, he lifted an arm in welcome, and she crawled under it, burrowing gleefully against his side. At their siblings enthusiam, the other two children can running to him. He held them for a long moment, puzzled by the fact that the only sounds he heard was the babbling of the toddler beside him. He absorbed the hugs and the comfort, content for the moment.
It was the entrance of Hahn Leyna that seperated the newly reunited family. Her bubbling personality spilled over into a wide smile. “I had hoped the children would be good for you and I see they have been. And you for them as well.” She came up to him and patted his cheek. “How are you feeling my boy?”
“Con-fused.”
She nodded as she encouraged the children to move so she could check him over. “Do you remember anything else?”
He tapped his chest. “Archer.”
Again she nodded. “Your name then? Good. And the little ones?”
His eyes were sad as he glanced at the children. “Mine. Names...no.”
“Ah.” She picked up the toddler and sat in the chair beside the bed, settling the little boy in her lap. “The older children don’t talk. I can’t find anything physically wrong with them so I’m not sure if it is by choice or not. This one,” she bounced the toddler on her lap, sending the boy into giggles. “He chatters non-stop. With his help I’ve been able to find something to call them. They don’t seem to mind, and he is very adamant in what he calls them.” She motioned the oldest girl to her. “This is May.”
The toddler in her arms reached for his sister, grabbing her braid and giving it an imperious tug. “May-may, May-may, May-may.”
May deftly worked her braid free of her brother’s hands and sat next Archer, leaning against him.
Motioning to the next child, Hahn Leyna drew the small girl next to her. “This is Una.”
Archer took in the girl as her baby brother shouted “Uuuuu-Na!” with glee. Her hair was much paler than her sister’s, nearly white blond, but just as long. Warm golden blonde and light browns blended with the paler shades giving her hair a streaked look. Soft curls feathered along her brow, enhancing the darkest blue eyes he had ever seen. She made him think of midnight and starry skies, and T’Pol, especially with her little pointed chin. He reached out, touching her little cheek. The warm honey color, common in all the children, was highlighted with a healthy blush and was soft to the touch. As she leaned into his hand he pictured a glorious silver moon. “Luna...”
The girl flashed him a bright smile and he knew he was right. Eager now, he turned to the third child and raised his arm. The boy didn’t hesitate, but crawled right into his lap. He was identical to his sister in looks, and just as ethereal. “Gabriel.”
The toddler shrieked and giggled and shouted, “Bee-be-be-be.”
Hahn Leyna laughed. “We’ve been calling him B. And this one? Do you remember his name now?”
Archer glanced down at the child. It was simple and seemed so right. He didn’t understand it all and wondered if he ever would. “Henry.”
The baby cackled and clapped his little hands, mimicking as he had before. “Re-re-re-re-re!”
Archer played them over in his mind, before repeating them again. “Meyah, Luna, Gabriel and Henry...” With each name he touched the child it belonged to.
Hahn Leyna passed Henry to Archer. “What unique names. With the exception of Meyah, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard them before.”
Without conscious thought Archer responded. “They are from my homeland.”
“Well they are strong ones and it is good to know them.” She stood and motioned the children aside once more. “Let me check your back now, and then you should rest. The children and I will come back and check on you later.”
Archer did as he was bid. Remembering the children had exhausted him and sleep was not difficult to find.