Elevator Music

The wedding was winding down. A slow dance song was playing and only a few couples remained on the dance floor. The bride and groom had already made their exit. Richard and Suzi sat at a table near the window sipping a tart fruit punch. Billy Reilly slipped into the chair next to them with a grin.

"How long will you be here Richie?"

Richard flinched at the old nickname but didn't correct his best friend. "Just another two days. Tomorrow's wedding, then we'll leave the next day."

"We haven't hardly had a chance to visit," Billy said. "Want to shoot some baskets tomorrow morning?"

Richard glanced at Suzi. He was determined to show her a good time, and didn't want her to feel like he'd deserted her. She gave a tiny encouraging nod and he smiled at her. "Sure, Billy, that would be great."

Billy looked out at the dance floor. "Looks like they're ready for the honeymoon now."

Richard's sister and her husband as of tomorrow night were wrapped in each other's arms, her head on his shoulder. They barely moved to the music, and Alan's hands were resting comfortably low on Emma's hips. It certainly wasn't the way they had been dancing the last time he had attended a wedding with them about six months ago. "They've been living together for three months, so I don't know what the big deal is."

Richard wasn't sure he was comfortable with the idea of Emma and Alan's marriage, but it was obvious they were happy about it. He'd been watching his father all evening and was pretty certain that his father didn't care for the whole thing. His dad and Alan had been close friends for longer than Richard could remember, and were always joking together. Since Richard had returned from Ceres Two he'd barely seen the two speak to each other. He looked around the rest of the room. Tony and Maya Verdeschi were dancing near Emma and Alan. He'd seen Maya talking to his mother and was pleased. He could just barely remember when she and Maya had spent lots of time together, and also remembered the pain in his mom's eyes when her former friend was mentioned. Emma had sent him a note saying that she had gotten Maya and Mom to talk. He wasn't sure how she'd done it, but he was sure it was a good thing for both women.

Right now his mother and father were talking to Kate Goldberg. Aunt Kate was his mother's oldest friend, and they were probably making last minute decisions for tomorrow's wedding dinner. It would be a much smaller affair, just the family, including Dinah's parents, who were sort of family now, and the Verdeschis. Kate had recently dyed her hair red, he noticed. It made her look a good deal younger. He wondered if that were some kind of reaction to the grief of losing her long-time partner, Joel. They hadn't married, and hadn't had children, but he couldn't remember a time when Joel wasn't quietly at Kate's side at major functions or parties. When Richard was little, Kate and Joel had occasionally taken care of him when his parents needed some help, and Joel had always been a good playmate, willing to play a video game or turn the kitchen table into a pup tent in the wilds of Loki or Earth.

"OK, Richie," Billy said. "I'll see you in the morning at about seven?"

"Are you leaving?" Richard asked. If Billy left he would feel obligated to ask Suzi to dance again, and he was not the most confident dancer in the world.

"Yeah, I've got a hot date," Billy said with a wink.

"Why didn't you bring your date to the wedding?" Richard asked. He'd seen Billy arrive earlier with his dad and stepmother and Billy had danced with practically every girl in the place.

"She prefers more intimate gatherings," Billy implied many things with his sly grin as he eased out of the seat and headed towards the door.

Richard watched his old friend desert him. "Suzi," he asked hesitantly. "Would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to, Richard." Suzi used his real name rather than the childish nickname he'd left behind when he moved to C-2. The way she said it made the room feel about five degrees warmer. He stood and offered her his hand. 

John watched his youngest son head out to the dance floor. There would probably be another wedding soon. He put his arm around Helena. Knowing she loved to dance, he figured he'd better get her back out on the dance floor before the evening was completely over. "Helena? Would you like to dance?" He asked when there was a pause in her conversation with Kate.

"Go ahead, Helena," Kate urged. "I'll be turning in now. It's been a lovely evening."

"I'll call you in the morning."

"OK."

"Goodnight, Kate."

"Night, John." Kate said with a smile. She turned and walked out the door.

"How's she doing?" John asked his wife.

"She says she's ok. I know she misses Joel."

"Her hair looks great that color."

"You might try telling her that."

"Me give Kate a compliment? She'd undoubtedly take it wrong." John and Kate had been friendly enemies for years. John knew most of the enmity had been play acting for years, something to tease Helena with, on both his and Kate's part.

"Oh, John." His wife smiled at him. "She's keeping busy at work, and did seem to enjoy herself tonight. I saw her dance with Bob and with Alan during one of the few dances where Emma let him loose."

John glanced over at his daughter and Alan Carter who were still wrapped in each other's arms. He wasn't sure if they'd even noticed if the song had changed. His mind was still on Kate. "Joel was a good man. I'm sure she's going to miss him."

Helena nodded and folded herself into his arms. He forgot about Kate, Emma, and everyone else for a while.

Kate walked down the hall to the open elevator. The door slid shut behind her and she turned to touch the button to her floor. Familiar arms slid around her and she leaned back with a sigh.

"What took you so long?"

"Bill." She smiled. "I couldn't just go running out after you. That's not very subtle."

"Why wouldn't you dance with me tonight, Katie?"

"You don't really want to go public do you?"

"Why not?" He kissed her neck and stopped her hand as she touched the button to take her down to the floor she lived on. He pressed the "stop" button, and gently turned her around.

Their eyes met and she smiled at him. Every time they met she wondered how she allowed this to happen. He was so young. Then he would smile at her and touch her and she would quit thinking completely. His lips brushed hers and she leaned against the wall. His hands moved down her body, and began to make their way under the long full skirt she was wearing.

"Oh, Bill. I'm a dumpy senior citizen. You could have any girl you want. Bill! Not here!"

"I want you. Because inside there's a twenty year old girl who likes Aerosmith, and wants a bit of love in an elevator." His lips caressed her ear, his tongue finding just the right spot to make her tingle all over. "Most of the girls around here are prudes who wouldn't dream of doing this without signing me to a life-time contract."

His caresses were extremely distracting and she could feel coherent thought slipping away from her once again. "Besides, Katie, you're far from being dumpy."

She laughed. She still had a figure, despite her age and she did know it. His voice had a trace of his father's Irish accent and she loved the way he sounded. All thoughts of resisting left her mind. "What if someone want's to use the elevator?" she asked, more amused than concerned.

"They'll have to wait now, won't they," he chuckled softly to her ear.

It was nearly a half hour before they got to her quarters. It was well into third shift by now, and there was no traffic in the hallways. They held hands as they made their way down the hall, and Kate's doubts returned. As they entered her quarters Billy said, "I've got to go to Dover next week to gather some specs on equipment they need us to make at the plastics plant. Why don't you come with me."

"I can't. I have work to do."

"You've said that Hilly could handle things. It would do you good to get away, Katie."

Kate sighed. "I just can't leave right now. Besides, when we get there, what would I do?"

Billy smiled, "I'd make it worth your while to be there when I'm done with work." He pulled her into his arms to emphasize his point.

She smiled and kissed him. "I'll think about it. You should be getting home."

He shrugged and gave her a serious look. "Are you still having those bad dreams?"

Kate looked away. "Some," she answered.

"Get ready for bed. I'll hold you until you go to sleep."

She leaned against him. "You don't have to."

"I know that. I want to."

She nodded and slipped into the bathroom. She returned shortly in worn blue silk pajamas. Billy was stretched out on the bed, eyes closed. He opened them and smiled at her, holding out his hand. She joined him on the bed and settled into his arms.

"This better?" he asked.

She couldn't lie. "Yes, it is." She closed her eyes. She had always hated sleeping alone. Joel's companionship had been her protection against the demons that haunted her sleep. His death had left an emptiness that she had despaired of ever filling.

"If I were a little younger, I'd be pressuring you for one of those lifetime commitments."

"And I'd be tempted." He kissed her temple. "I love you, Katie."

"Oh, Bill, I love you too." She drifted off to sleep, feeling safe in his arms.

A week later, he arrived in her quarters late one night. The excitement surrounding the Koenig weddings were over and things were back to normal on Alpha. He was leaving the next day for Dover. They listened to music, and curled together on the sofa to talk. Their love of rock music was one of the things that drew them together. Kate had a large collection of Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Guns'n'Roses and other hard rock groups. Bill had developed a taste for such music years before when he had been recuperating from a serious accident in the gym and searching the computer for different kinds of music as a school project.

As usual things quickly went from talking to more physical activities and Billy easily lifted Kate and carried her to the bed. They teased and played and Billy reached out in play and grabbed her wrist. She jerked back at just the wrong moment and both heard the bone snap.

His eyes went wide and she lay back on the bed, face drained of color. "Katie? I didn't mean..."

She used her other hand to pat his knee as he knelt beside her. Her first attempt at words came out only as a gasp as the pain hit her. She tried again. "Of course you didn't, dear. It's not your fault. Damn, oh, damn-" the pain was overwhelming her.

"I'll call Medical-"

"No!"

"Kate!"

"Call Helena. Use her personal code." She gave him a short string of numbers and he went to the desk and punched in the code.

It took a moment for the call to be answered, but Helena Koenig's face appeared, not a nurse or someone on duty. She was surprised to see Billy Reilly. "Billy?" she asked, puzzled. "How did you --?"

"Dr. Koenig. It's Kate. Kate Goldberg. She's hurt." Billy said, trying not to sound like the scared kid he was feeling like right now.

Dr. Koenig's expression changed rapidly. "Where are you?"

"Her quarters. She asked me to call you."

"I'm on my way." The connection was broken just that quickly.

Billy returned to the bed. "She's on her way."

"I heard," Kate said weakly. "Now you'd better get dressed."

Billy nodded and retrieved his clothes. He'd just pulled on his pants when Helena Koenig arrived. She didn't bother with knocking, she simply used her override and walked in. She took in the sight of Billy standing next to the bed in bare feet and his uniform pants and Kate on the bed but didn't comment. She looked to Kate.

"What happened?"

"My arm."

Helena knelt by the right side of the bed. She noted that Billy had pulled on his tunic and knelt on the other side of the bed, taking Kate's left hand while she inspected the right. "It's broken," she told Kate.

"I thought so. We heard the bone snap." Kate said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Helena, tell Bill it wasn't his fault."

Helena looked up at Billy Reilly, kneeling worriedly on the other side of Kate. "It's not your fault."

"But I-- we-"

"Bill," Helena used the more adult nickname that Kate had used. "Kate has osteoporosis. We've been giving her calcium suppliments, but her body doesn't process it as well as it could when she was younger. Her bones are becoming more and more brittle."

"You heard the doctor. Now, go home. Helena will take good care of me."

Bill looked at Kate with an expression of almost panic. He took her left hand in both of his. "I leave for Dover first thing tomorrow."

"Give me a goodbye kiss and go, then." Kate said impatiently, the pain beginning to overwhelm her.

Bill leaned over and kissed her quickly on the lips. He slipped off the bed and glanced back at Dr. Koenig whose eyes were firmly on the medical kit on the floor next to her. Kate met his eyes and nodded and he slipped on his shoes and left quickly.

Helena didn't try to meet her old friend's eyes. She knew Kate was in pain and that was the most important thing to her right now. "I'm going to immobilize this and give you something for the pain, then we'll get you dressed and call Medical Center for a stretcher."

"Yeah." Kate said shortly.

Helena was a good as her word. She made efficient work of the tasks and then helped Kate pull on a robe while they waited for the stretcher.

"Aren't you going to tell me what a fool I'm being?"

A smile played about Helena's lips but didn't linger anywhere but her eyes. "As Emma Carter's mother, I'm not qualified to pass judgement on you."

"Don't kid me Helena. I've known John Koenig long enough to know that he's absolutely furious with Alan."

Helena shrugged. "He'll get over it."

They sat on the edge of Kate's bed. The sedative was beginning to take effect and it was harder for Kate to control her own emotions. "I didn't mean for this to happen." Tears slid down her cheeks.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Kate shook her head and leaned against Helena's shoulder. "I left work late one evening a couple of weeks ago. I hated coming home. Hated being by myself. But I couldn't stay at work all the time. I've been terrorizing my staff, and I know it. I'd hit a point where I had to get some rest, no matter what kind of nightmares I had. I got on the elevator and just broke down in tears. I didn't notice that Bill was already on the elevator.

"You hadn't told me the nightmares had come back."

"They have. You've been busy. I didn't want to worry you."

"The stalking..."

"The stalking, the threats, the beatings, even other women-- everything. Over and over. Being with Joel chased the nightmares away, but now they've come back," she sobbed. "Oh, Helena, I was so stupid. I should have married him. I should have had his children. I should have taken your advice and gotten you to try to find some kind of gene therapy. Helena, I feel so alone now. So lost." The tears flowed.

They were interrupted as the medical team entered her apartment. Helena squeezed her good hand and whispered. "We'll talk more about this in the morning."

Kate nodded and allowed the medical team to help her onto the stretcher. She spent most of the night in a drugged daze as her arm was set and she was put to bed in Medical Center. She only vaguely realized that Helena had sat down next to her and taken her hand.

"Are you planning to stay here all night?" she asked groggily.

"Unless you want me to call Bill to sit with you," Helena said with a soft laugh.

Kate's responding laugh became a sob. "I can't do that anymore, Helena. I can't see him again."

"Go to sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow. I'll keep the nightmares away tonight."

Two weeks later, Helena was readying for bed when their doorbell rang. She glanced at the comm post in the middle of the living room, happy to be back in the older section of Alpha with the comm posts with their redundant screens that could be seen from everywhere in the room. Billy Reilly's worried face appeared on the screen.

John looked up from his slate. "Well, we don't see much of Billy any more with Richard away."

"I think he's looking for me tonight."

"Oh?"

"Would you mind..." She trailed off and John caught her meaning that Billy wanted to speak to her on a professional basis. He nodded and retreated to the bedroom.

Helena let the young man in, smiling a welcome at him. He looked so very much like his father, tall, with broad shoulders and curly dark hair. No wonder Kate, and a number of the young women on Alpha, found him so attractive. "Bill, welcome home."

"Thanks, Doc." He smiled as he entered the apartment, but was obviously upset about something. He pulled his slate from it's holder on his belt and fiddled with it nervously.

"It's about Kate."

"Have you talked to her?"

"She won't talk to me!" he blurted suddenly. Helena motioned him to the sofa and he sat, still flipping the slate from one hand to the other. "She sent me a slate note right after I got to Loki saying she didn't want to see me any more. It was only one sentence. She didn't even tell me if her arm was ok," he ended miserably.

"Her arm is healing slowly, but she's not in any kind of pain."

"I've sent her notes, called her, even went by her place tonight, and I know she's there, but she won't open the door or answer me when I call."

"Bill, she and I talked a lot over the past week. She doesn't want to hurt you."

"Doc, this is hurting me! Why is she shutting me out like this?"

"She feels she's taken advantage of you. She thinks you should find someone your own age..."

Bill jumped up and paced back and forth. "Find someone my own age, and begin plotting to spend the rest of my life having babies with her. Doc, I'm seventeen! I want to have some fun! I don't want to have babies. I don't want to commit myself to someone until I'm old. I thought Kate understood that."

"She does..."

"And she thinks that because I don't want to make that kind of commitment she can't trust me."

"It's not that, Bill."

"Did you tell her we shouldn't be together?"

Helena smiled. "On the contrary, I think your attention is good for her. And her friendship with you is probably good for you as well."

"What can I do?" He asked miserably. He sat back down on the sofa.

"Give it some time. Be friendly when you see her. If you push her on this, she'll compare you to Eric and retreat."

"She told me how awful her husband was to her. How could anyone do such things?"

"I knew Eric. He could be charming and attractive, and was very popular with women. When he wanted to be, he was attentive and romantic. But he was mentally ill and took out his problems on Kate. He flaunted his unfaithfulness, but expected her complete devotion. When she finally gave up on him he wouldn't let her go. She finally got the job here on Alpha to get away from him. Bill, she's coping with the death of someone she loved deeply, plus a disease that will become progressively worse over her life." Helena smiled and added, "And she's never been the most complacent or patient person."

Bill grinned. "Yeah, she's fiery." He laughed. "Richie and I used to try to sneak cookies after school. When she'd catch us she'd give us what for-then usually give us cookies before chasing us out. Doc, I really do care about her."

"I know Bill, but you're going to have to be patient."

He shrugged. "I guess that's not one of my strong points either."

"Another thing you have in common."

... and she woke up sweating, her arm pounding. She had hit it on the nightstand. She tried to open the bottle of pain medication Helena had given her, but couldn't manage to twist the top off with her left hand. She lost her temper with it and threw the bottle across the room. Plastic, it hit the wall and bounced to the floor. She grabbed the slate and punched in Helena's private code. After a pause, John's face appeared.

"Kate? You must be looking for Helena."

"Is she there, John?"

"She was just called down to Medical for an emergency surgery. She may still be scrubbing up. You can try calling her there."

Kate shook her head. "I'll talk to her in the morning." She broke the connection muttering, "damn, damn, damn."

She rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Her arm throbbed in the brace. As her eyes closed she could see Eric's face again and knew he would be back to haunt her sleep. She sat up again and rocked back and forth, trying to decide what to do. She reluctantly picked up the slate again and called up another code.

Bill's face appeared on the small screen. "Katie? Are you all right?"

"Bill-I-" Tears threatened.

"I'm on my way." The screen went blank and the slate was quiet. After the connection closed she realized that he must have been in the Grotto. The background had been dark but the music loud.

Kate remained sitting, head pillowed on her knees. When the door buzzed, she tapped the slate without looking at it. Bill was sitting on her bed a moment later, pulling her into his arms.

"The arm?" he asked.

"Hurts like hell."

"I don't suppose you've taken anything for it," he said smiling as his cheek pressed against her hair.

"I couldn't get the damned bottle open."

"Where is it?" he scanned the bedside table. She pointed across the room. He spotted the pills and retrieved them. He found a glass, filled it with water and read the label on the pills. He gave her the proper amount and the water and watched while she took them.

"How was Loki?" she asked.

"The same Dullsville little place it always is. I took the measurements I needed and spent a couple of days picking tomatoes. They needed all the hands they could get."

"You're quite the Boy Scout."

"Always lend a helping hand," Bill replied cheerily. He sat facing her and touched her chin, gently turning her so she had to look at him. "I should be really pissed at you."

"For what?"

"Dumping me like that. Without even talking to me about it."

"Bill, it was a mistake."

"What was, caring about each other? Sharing our interests and thoughts?"

"Sleeping with a teenage kid?"

"I don't really recall us doing much sleeping," he joked.

"You know what I mean."

"Kate, just because we're still kids you think we don't know the score?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're supposed to grow up, have kids, learn everything you grownups can possibly teach us and take care of you guys when you get old. Now, we're willing to do all that. And you may not think so, but we do talk about it."

"You... do?" Kate wasn't sure where he was going.

"Of course. And the thing is, this means taking care of all of you, whether you had children of your own or not. A lot of people talk about Emma. We all knew how close she's always been to Alan. Do you really think that she wouldn't take care of him if he had a stroke or something, whether they were married or not?"

"I hadn't really thought about it." Kate had to admit.

"Well, we have. Why shouldn't she enjoy being with him before he gets too old? If they have a kid or two, and a few good years enjoying each other's company, that should be just a plus for her. We know that not every marriage here on Alpha is deliriously happy all the time. I sure remember my mom and dad having some monumental fights, even though I know they loved each other."

Kate nodded slowly. The Riley's had been a passionate emotional couple who had rarely hid their feelings from their children or their neighbors. And Bill's take on Emma seemed both pragmatic and accurate. She grinned. "So you've been assigned to take me on as one of your adopted old folks."

"Not assigned, exactly. But the way you growl at people, there's not anyone fighting over you."

Kate had to laugh at that.

"Now, Kate. You do have a reputation for being difficult. But if you need something you call me. If you don't want the sex part, well, we won't be doing anything you don't want. But I'm still you're friend, any time you need me."

Kate lay back on the bed with a sigh. The pain killer was about to take effect. "I liked the sex part," she growled.

Bill laughed and leaned over her. "Doc says our relationship was good for me too." He struck a dramatic pose. "You know Katie, a man does have certain needs-"

Kate reached out and swatted him with her good arm. "Bill, shut up and come to bed."

Bill gave a whoop and bounded over her with a smooth leap learned from his gymnastics training. He turned off the lights and settled into bed beside her.

Several hours into the third shift Helena Koenig left Medical Center behind. Her patient was stable and she detoured down to Kate's quarters before heading home. John had sent her a message that Kate had called and appeared upset. Knowing Kate, she was still awake. She had just reached Kate's door when it opened and Bill Reilly slipped out, pulling his jacket on.

"Hey Doc," he greeted her with a cheery grin, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Bill. I take it Kate is - talking to you again?"

He gave a contented sigh. "Yes, she is. All I wanted was a chance to talk things out. The nightmares were back again, but she's sleeping soundly now."

"Good. I won't disturb her then."

"I'll walk you home."

Helena didn't argue with the tall young man who kept his arm around her shoulders.

"She's going to be ok, Doc."

"I know. She's too tough not to be."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Someday, when I'm a married man, with a family of my own and a pillar of the community," he smiled at the thought. "If I came and asked if my wife and I could use the gene bank to make a baby with Katie's fiery personality and beautiful eyes. Would that be possible?"

"You mean, for you to have Kate's baby?"

"Yeah."

Helena hesitated. It was up to Kate to decide something like that, and to give Bill her reasons for not having a child of her own. But it was something to think about. "Bill, that's an idea you need to discuss with Kate. And expect her to be at her irascible worst when you do so."

"The osteoperosis? I did some reading on it..."

"It's no that. It's not something I can discuss," Helena interrupted. "Talk to Kate about it."

"I will," he replied with a smile.

They had arrived at her apartment. Bill leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight Doc."

"Goodnight Bill."

She opened the door, then glanced down the corridor before she stepped in, watching the young man give a gleeful leap and turn a handspring down the corridor. His high spirits would be good for Kate, and Kate good for him. She was happy for her friend.

 Ellen C. Lindow

November 14, 1999