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Picard Drabbles – Hidden
Set sometime after Worf comes aboard the Titan in ST Picard, S3.
He had been watching them circle each other and ignore the obvious ever since he boarded the ship. He alone, could understand and perhaps, offer insight into the situation. He too had a lover keep a son hidden from him. While shocking at first, the anger quickly subsided. K’Ehleyr was right. She had her reasons.
“Admiral, may I have a word with you?” Worf said as he entered the Observation Lounge. He knew Picard was alone. He also knew he shouldn’t be.
“Of course, Mr. Worf, how may I help you?”
“I consider both you and Dr. Crusher my friends,” Worf started.
Picard straightened in his chair and Worf could see the Admiral had just raised his shields a bit also. “It may not be my place but perhaps, I more than anyone else can understand how you might have felt when you discovered you had a son.”
Picard looked up at Worf standing by the window. He half wished he would sit down and look him in the eye but Worf rarely sat. From this angle, Worf’s impressive stature was magnified by his long, gray hair and carefully trimmed beard. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to have this conversation with him now or ever. But it was true, Worf’s son was hidden from him by his son’s mother, Ambassador K’Ehleyr. The parallels were not lost on Picard or Wotf.
“This situation is a bit more, I don’t know.” He was going to say more complex but he didn’t know if that were true or not. “I can’t say I ever knew all the details of why K’Ehleyr hid Alexander from you, but she did bring him to meet you at a much younger age,” Picard said.
“K’Ehleyr knew that if she had told me when she was pregnant, I would have insisted that we take the oath,” Worf started. “She was right. She thought I would have done it out of duty, but she was not ready. Then when she brought Alexander to me on the Enterprise, I insisted we not reveal that I was his father because of my discommendation. It was only her death that forced me to acknowledge him and become his father. Even then I tried to shirk my duty by sending him to stay with my parents. It was only when they could no longer care for him that I was forced to bring him with me on the Enterprise. He made me grow in ways I never imagined.”
“I remember when he came back onboard. And I remember how brave he was when I was transformed into a child,” Picard smiled at the memory. “He turned into a fine young man and now I hear he’s going to be a father soon.”
Worf smiled, “Yes, I am not sure how I will handle being a Grandfather, but seeing my family line continue will be an honor.” Worf paced around the long table and finally came to sit near Picard.
“What is it you want to tell me, Worf?” Picard said after a prolonged silence.
“There is only one thing I regret in all of it,” Worf said. “I regret that I was not a man whose mate, could trust enough to tell me she was pregnant with my child. That she felt she had to hide him to protect my son, even from me.” He let the words settle into the room. Picard took a deep breath to steady himself from the truth. “I told K’Ehleyr that she was right. I would have insisted on the oath but not because she was with child but because I loved her and would have given anything if I had let her know that before we parted.”
“I didn’t know,” Picard offered gently. “Perhaps our situations are not as different as I thought.”
Worf nodded. “It took K’Ehleyr and I about one day before we were back in each other’s arms. I could not stay mad at her. And our attraction was too strong to ignore. She understood about my discommendation, yet she wanted nothing more than for Alexander to get to know me, if not as a father, then as friends. Ultimately, her death forced me to come to terms with the man I wish I had been. I talked about duty and honor, but I was a coward when it came to love and being there for her. As I said, I have few regrets but that is one I will never be able to right.” Worf stood up and said, “At least you have the opportunity to make things right with the woman you love and your son. Don’t let your pride or anger stand in the way.”
With that Worf gave him a hard stare before turning to leave.