#dad odo

Out of everything Odo could turn himself into, one thing he never in a million years thought he would be was a father. He certainly never thought he would be a single father, on top of that, not that he was interested in romantic relationships anyway. Or children. Maybe once or twice had the very minor thought of maybe procreating if maybe they were able to find others of his species and maybe he could find a mate and maybe that was something his species did anyways.

It was a routine day, a handful of petty thefts and a minor altercation between Quark and an angry Bajoran. Nothing too out of the ordinary. That is, until 14:65 when a damaged Klingon vessel came to the station and Commander Sisko called Odo and Bashir to the docking bay. One very injured Klingon had woman stumbled out of the doors and promptly collapsed into Bashir’s arms, fading fast. Bashir called for backup medical teams and then had Ops transport him to the infirmary. Odo nodded to Sisko and Major Kira as they all drew their phasers and entered the ship.

It was utter carnage.

There were multiple hull breeches barely held together by weak shields. Dozens of systems were offline. And the bodies. There were at least a dozen Klingons strewn about the place, thrown over consoles or under chairs. Sisko and Kira went around, checking pulses and Odo pressed deeper into the vessel. More bodies, some of them not Klingon, decorated the hallways and other rooms. The dining hall was the worst. The Klingons had obviously been carrying passengers, although to where Odo couldn’t fathom. There were a handful of other species involved here, Bajorans, a few Cardassians, even a Ferengi, and several humans. Families, Odo noted with dismay, including children. He walked through the bodies, looking for signs of life among the massacre, but seemed to find none.

He was joined moments later by Sisko, who upon seeing the destruction, brought his wrist up to his mouth, perhaps to stifle a bout of nausea. He looked at Odo, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern, sadness, and expectation. Odo shook his head slightly and Sisko let out a heavy sigh. “Well, I suppose we should begin reviewing the system logs before this whole ship falls apart.”

Odo nodded and started after Sisko. He was almost out of the room when he heard it:  the smallest of coughing. He spun around, eyes darting around the room, searching for the source. “Commander!” he shouted, spotting the small hand moving behind an upturned table. He ran towards the child, sliding to his knees as he found her. It was a child, seemingly human, female, approximately six years. She was injured, but alive. “It’s ok, it’ll all be ok,” he said to her.

Sisko came running into the room, medical team on his heels. “Odo?” He ran to the other man, dodging the obstacles in his way.

“A child, Commander,” Odo called. The girl opened her eyes and for a moment, time fell apart. Odo was met with lovely, deep chocolate brown orbs that looked straight into his soul. He smiled down at her and told her she’d be fine again. As the medical team set up around her, her eyes drifted shut again and he handed her to them ever so gently. They immediately transported to the infirmary with her, leaving Odo and Sisko in the dining hall alone.

Sisko clapped Odo on the shoulder. “Good work, Constable,” he breathed. “Let’s go see about those logs.”

The logs had revealed that the transport was a passenger ship on its way to the Gamma quadrant to establish a colonial settlement. They had had the misfortune to come across a small band of pirates who had made quick work out of scanning and attacking them. The Klingon vessel had managed to severely damage two of their ships and even completely destroyed one before they had retreated, but the damage had been too severe, damaging all major systems including navigation, life support, and basically everything but the emergency beacon and the shields covering the hull breeches. It’s a miracle anybody was left alive.

A few days had passed, and with them, the Klingon captain. The girl had almost pulled through, needing just another day or two of rest and treatments. For some inexplicable reason, Odo felt compelled to visit the infirmary multiple times a day to check on her progress. Everyone, even Dax was surprised by this sudden outburst of concern, but most found it endearing.

On the fifth day, Odo had been having a disturbingly quiet day at work, so he decided to visit the girl a while longer than usual, not that Bashir minded. Odo had been reading through reports when he heard the smallest of voices from the bedside, “You have a funny face.”

Odo looked up in surprise and immediately stood to cross closer to the bedside. “You’re awake. Do you feel alright?” He tapped his combadge, calling Bashir to the infirmary.

The girl looked up at him, her gigantic eyes looking into his soul again. “What are you?” she chirped out.

He folded his arms behind his back and leaned down slightly. “That is a very impolite question. But to answer, I am a shapeshifter.”

She only blinked once in response and turned her tiny head to look around. “Where am I?”

“You are on a space station, in the infirmary. Doctor Bashir is on his way to check on you.”

“Are you sick?” she had taken the tricorder from the table near her bed and was looking at it.

“No. I just came to see that you were alright.” He stopped her from reaching for the laser scalpel, pulling the table away from her.

She didn’t answer again, pulling herself to sit up in the bed. He watched her for a few moments as she observed the room around them. Odo felt that she had an unusual maturity for a child her age. Probably to be expected, given what she had just been through.

Bashir finally arrived to the infirmary and beamed at the girl. “Well, look who is awake.” He started on his barrage of medical questions, confirming that she is, in fact healthy and well.

Once he got the all-clear, Odo began on his basic security questions. “What’s your name?”

“Talyssia, but I don’t like it very much.”

“Oh? And what do you like to be called instead?”

“Tali.”

“Ok, Tali. My name is Odo. It’s very nice to meet you. How old are you?”

She had to think for a moment, putting a tiny finger up to her chin. She pulled her messy mop of brown curls away from her face and into a weak ponytail. “Seven.”

“My, you’re practically a young lady.” She giggled at that. “Do you know where you’re from?”

“No, but I know we were going to the Chamma Quadrad.”

He chuckled slightly. “The Gamma Quadrant. Yes, we know.”

“Where are my Mommy and Daddy and K’oroll?”

Bashir took the girl aside and explained what had happened to her as gently as he could. Odo felt that the doctor was better suited to handle this situation, so he left them alone as the girl wept.

And then the question of custody arose. They had managed to figure out that the girl’s “K’oroll” was the Second in Command upon the vessel, a close family friend by the girl’s explanation. They were able to find through the manifest logs that the child’s parents were a Betazoid male and a human female, but nobody could find through any of the computer databases if there were any surviving family members. Sisko was forced to contact the governments of both Betazed and Earth to attempt to establish next of kin. When none could be found, both planets insisted custody belonged to them.

Odo and Sisko had been listening to the two dignitaries argue over vid-com for what felt like years before Odo finally snapped. “We are getting nowhere. I think it’s time we bring the child into this. She might know the names of some family friends that can help us establish new guardianship.”

Begrudgingly, the two dignitaries agreed. Odo had retrieved her, and they attempted to see what the girl knew, but unfortunately she knew nothing.

Finally, after several more hours, it was decided that she should remain on DS9 until proper arrangements were agreed upon. Which then led to the next big question:  with whom would she stay? O’Brien was the first logical choice, what with Molly. Tali insisted she would not go with him. The next best guess was Bashir, as the doctor had spent a considerable amount of time with her. Again, she insisted she would not go.

This went on for three more names before Sisko finally conceded and asked her with whom she wanted to go. She turned her deep brown eyes to Odo and a smile crept upon her face. “Him,” she said, a tiny finger pointed at him.

And that was that.

Tali came to stay with Odo, who had arranged for a small bed to be put in his room in Security. Odo tried to keep her busy outside of his duties, but was forced to bring her along once or twice when no suitable babysitter could be found. Never anything serious, of course, usually just a minor discourse with Quark (who the girl seemed to thoroughly enjoy, much to Odo’s dismay.)

Several weeks had gone by, and still there was no word on new custody arrangements. Indeed, Odo had almost forgotten about them when Sisko called him to Ops one day.

“Odo, I’m afraid I’ve got some news,” the Commander began.

“What is it?” If Odo’s hair were real, it would have risen along the back of his neck.

“I’ve just been in contact with Earth and Betazed.”

“Oh?”

“They’ve been able to find nobody who is related to Talyssia, nor anybody who was acquainted with her family. It seems all their friends were upon the K’aghto when it was attacked.”

“Where does that leave us then? An orphanage?”

Sisko heaved a great sigh. “That’s an option. There was another option, suggested by the Betazed representative…”

Odo quirked his brow, head tilted. “Yes?”

Sisko smiled slightly, intertwining his fingers in front of his face. “Well, it was suggested that we, or more specifically you, be granted custody.”

Odo’s eyes went wide and he let out a stammer, trying to find words, any words.

“I--.”

“Of course, you don’t need to decide right this second. Take some time, think it over. See what Talyssia thinks. Take all the time you need.”

When Odo went home that night, he tried very hard to hide his indecision, but it seems that either Tali is very observant, or she is able to feel even his emotions. “What’s going on?” she asked, looking up from her coloring.

Odo furrowed his brow, considering how to ask. He sat beside her on the ground, his arms up on his knees. “Well. I’ve been given an option. We’ve been given an option.”

“Option?”

“It means a choice, a decision. You can either go to one of your home planets to live with other children or…”

“Or what?”

“Well. You could stay here. With me. If you want to, that is.”

She set her crayon down and put her hands under her chin, squinting her eyes and pursing her lips in concentration as she thought. She nodded to herself and smiled up at him. “I want to stay with you, Odo.”

Odo smiled back at her and nodded in response. “Well alright then. I will inform Commander Sisko immediately.”

…

The guests’ music was starting. Odo was standing in front of a mirror, straightening the flower he wore in his lapel. He took a few steadying breaths. Nervousness was not something he was accustomed to.

“How are you feeling, Odo?”

Odo turned to O’Brien. “Oh, I’m. Well. I’m a lot of things. I’m nervous, excited, ecstatic, worried, and—”

“I understand.” The Chief smiled at him and patted Odo’s shoulder. “I would be, too. I’m terrified for Molly’s. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to actually be going through with it yet.”

“Mostly I just keep thinking, ‘Where did the time go?’ It feels like yesterday I signed the adoption papers, and here I am today. Where did it go?”

O’Brien smiled knowingly. “If you could drink, Odo, I would give you a nice tall glass of whiskey.”

Odo smiled slightly. “I appreciate the sentiment in any event.”

…

In the blink of an eye, Tali was 14 years old, and Odo had never felt such pure agitation before.

“I just don’t understand what happened, Talyssia. You were doing so well.”

She sat on the couch of their small apartment, arms folded, eyebrow raised in agitation as she looked anywhere but at him.

“I mean. I understand skipped homework every now and then, even an hour or two playing hookey, but this? Now I have just about had it, young lady. You had better explain yourself this instant!” He hated yelling, but after finding out that you hadn’t been to class once in the last two weeks and you had been ignoring a considerable amount of schoolwork for far longer than that, he went straight into Constable mode.

He was met with moody silence, which only furthered his anger. “Talyssia, I am speaking to you.”

She glowered at him for a moment before sucking her teeth and looking the other way.

“That is it, young lady. You are confined to your quarters every day for the next three months except for school which I will personally be escorting you to.”

She gaped at him. “You can’t do that!”

“Oh, I can and I am, missy. If I need to I’ll even assign an escort to you to ensure you stay in class. Now, march it missy, straight to your room.”

She growled in frustration and threw herself off the couch, stomping angrily to her bedroom.

Odo shook his head in dismay and rubbed his face. “They weren’t kidding when they said teenagers are difficult.”

…

“How are we doing, gentlemen?”

Odo and O’Brien turned to Sisko.

“Ah, Commander. We’re doing just fine.” O’Brien smiled at the C.O.

Sisko smiled and reached for Odo’s hand, clasping it in a firm handshake. “I never in a million years would have thought it would turn out this way, my old friend.”

Odo returned the handshake. “Nor would I, Commander.”

“Please, Odo, in light of the circumstances, maybe Benjamin?”

Odo chuckled slightly. “Pardon my French, but there’s no way in Hell.”

The three of them laughed at that.

…

19 years old, Tali had taken on a job in the security office. As what, Odo still wasn’t quite sure, as she did little more than study while she was on duty. Every so often, she would complete out a small stack of reports, to make it seem like she was doing something. Odo didn’t really mind, though. He enjoyed her company, as did many of the others in the office.

That day had been extra busy for security, between Quark attempting to cheat Morn and several Bajorans out of their latinum, a visiting Klingon transport, and the arrival of Lwaxana Troi. When Odo had heard she was coming, he seemed positively flustered. He even went so far as to darken his hair a little bit and lighten his clothes. Tali had watched in fascination before she suddenly remembered the name and a wide grin spread across her face. “This is the elevator woman.”

Odo turned to her, eyes wide. “’Elevator woman?’”

She smirked. “Dad, I know you know who I mean.”

He cleared his throat, straightening the Padds on his desk. “Well, if you must know, yes.”

She squealed with delight. “This is so exciting!”

“What’s so exciting?” Dax had entered the office, her pockets flush with winnings probably from Tongo.

Tali beamed at her. “Dad’s girlfriend is here.”

“Lwaxana Troi is not my girlfriend,” Odo blurted.

Dax looked at Odo then at the girl. “Wow, I’m not Betazed and even I know he’s bluffing.”

The two women laughed and Odo shook his head, grumbling to himself.

“So, what’s the story?” Dax had sat beside Tali, nudging the younger girl with her shoulder.

“Apparently they were caught in an elevator for like six hours, right?”

Dax nodded. “I remember something like that.”

“Well, Dad tells me that it was ‘a surprisingly eventful and pleasant experience.’ I don’t want to think about what exactly that means, but I’ve never before in my life heard dad refer to anything as ‘pleasant.’”

Dax ‘oooo’ed this information and smirked at Odo. “Well isn’t that something?” she mocked.

Odo let out a large, exasperated huff and promptly left the office, leaving the two women laughing after him.

…

“Odo, are you ready?”

Odo looked towards the door where Dax stood in very fine clothes. Tali had asked her to officiate since Curzon had been ordained, at least as a Klingon officiator. He looked at O’Brien and Sisko who both smiled at him and gave him little, ‘good lucks’ before leaving the room to take their places.

Dax smiled at Odo who looked himself over in the mirror once more before nodding. “As ready as I am ever going to be, I think.” Dax beamed at him and took him by the shoulder, leading him out of the room.

…

Suddenly, Talyssia was 27 years old. She had taken a job working under O’Brien so she could avoid the larger crowds of people. She was an unexpectedly gifted engineer, taking to the job with an ease that surprised even her. It had been a few months since taking the job in the first place, so when she came home beaming, Odo had expected to hear she had been promoted or something of the sort.

“Dad, you’ll never guess what happened today!”

“Were you promoted?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, Dad, but nice to know that’s immediately where your mind goes. No.” She walked over to him and took her hands in his, guiding him to a chair. “You’ll want to be sitting for this.”

“For god’s sake, just tell me already,” he grumbled.

She stood back and shook her hands out, a common gesture meaning she was nervous. “Now, don’t pass out or freak out or anything like that.” She grinned at him again, her chocolate eyes alight. “I’m, well, Dad, I’m engaged!”

It had been a very good idea to have Odo sit, even moreso that the chair was plastic and bowled so when he liquified, he was caught in the chair.

She gaped at the puddle, dropping her hands. “Well, god Dad, let me know how you really feel.”

She turned to walk away but was enveloped in strong arms. He laid his head on her mess of curls, shaking slightly. She looked up at him and saw something that amazed her—he was crying. Smiling, but crying. Her own eyes teared up and she threw her arms around him, laughing with him. He pulled back and gripped her shoulders, beaming down at her. “I’m so happy for you, my darling.” He pulled her back to him and held her for as long as she would let him.

…

“Talyssia?” There was no response at the door for one or two minutes. “Tali, darling, it’s time. We’re all waiting for you.”

“Just a second, Dad!”

Odo relaxed slightly. He had begun to fear you were getting cold feet. He certainly would have hated to have to arrange for the Promenade to be cleared out again. This time nearly killed him. When the door opened, however, everything else melted away. If Odo breathed, he would have held his breath.

She was beautiful. Her curls had been pulled back and pinned with elegant crystal pins, her makeup was stunning and accentuated her eyes, the dress was just perfect. She was perfect. Odo felt tears come to his eyes again.

“Oh, geez, Dad, don’t start. It took me thirty minutes to get this eyeliner right.” She chuckled at him.

He breathed a laugh and wiped his eyes. “You look absolutely beautiful, Talyssia.” He pulled her to him in a hug, rocking them ever so slightly. “I love you, sweetheart.”

She smiled up at him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “I love you, too, Dad. Now, we better go before Quark starts a bidding war on whether or not I’m coming.”

“Too late!” Quark called from the hallway.

Odo and Tali laughed before Odo took her arm in his, clasping his hand over hers. Instead of traditional bridesmaids, Tali had enlisted Morn to be her bridesman and Quark as her man-of-honor. It was a little awkward, considering that Nog was the best man, but Tali felt that only made it funnier.

Odo and Tali approached the end of the walkway and he glanced at her. “Are you ready?” he breathed.

Tali patted his hand, smiling at him. “You’re not getting me to back out now, Dad. No such luck for you.”

He chuckled. “No such luck.”

They started down the aisle, and Tali caught the eye of her step-mother, Lwaxana, who winked at her and projected into her head, “You look stunning, kiddo, absolutely a knockout.”

Tali giggled slightly and winked at the older Betazed. She turned to look up the aisle and breathed a soft sigh when she saw Jake, looking very regal in his fine clothes next to Nog who had borrowed one of Quark’s smart suits. Jake was absolutely beaming at her, and even with her half-Betazed-ness, she could feel the warmth of his love as if he were standing right next to her.

She blinked, and suddenly she was standing a few feet away. Dax was smiling widely at all of them, this mashup of a bridal party before she asked, “Who is chosen to give this amazing young woman away?”