The Road Not Traveled - Finding Your Inner Strength

[Angelicant]

**Note: This story is one written a few years back, a character's inner reflections and the her strength to go on. It is a Star Trek based story, though this is not necessarily my preferred genre. I hope you enjoy.

There comes a time in a person's life when there will be a moment that will test everything you have ever believed in. That will make you question why you made the choices that you had made, and wonder what you would do if you had to do it all again.

How many times in the course of her career had she been faced with a life altering decision? More than likely, far too many to count. She thought about her decision to enter Starfleet. Isn't that where it had all began? Had she chosen differently, where would that have led her? Would her life had been as fulfilling? But because she did, how many lives had been changed because of her?

Her life may have been less dangerous, but would have been as rewarding? Brandy doubted that. Had she never entered Starfleet she would have never met any of the amazing people she had come to love and respect during her career. She would have never met Chris, her brother, or even her husband. How deeply she loved him. Had she not entered Starfleet could she honestly say she would ever know love the way she did with Gabriel? No, nor would they have the beautiful twin girls, Leslie and Amanda. She would have never adopted her son Nigel or Gabriel's son Joshua... suddenly the pain of losing him hit her again.

Choking back her tears she pushed those images away. No, Brandy wouldn't let herself think about her children. If she did, she knew she would fall apart. Everyone knew what her family meant to her, and staying alive and getting home to them was her only option.

Sitting with her back against the wall, and mindful of her broken wrist, Brandy looked around the room to her fellow officers before looking down to her lap where Alex lay resting. Monitoring his breathing and satisfied that he was at the very least stable, she shifted to elevate his head further to keep the swelling on his face to a minimum before leaning her head back against the wall and she closed her eyes.

Brandy knew that the crew of Victory would not give up on them. She knew TE'ram. Had worked with him close enough on their last Intel mission to know he wouldn't leave them behind if he could find a way to save them. Then there was Melissa. Another choice. Brandy vowed that when she got back, she would try to better understand the connection she shared with this woman. Even know, Brandy thought she could feel her and knew if she opened up it wouldn't take long for Melissa to mean as much to her as Wil did. For that to happen however, they had to get of this cell.

Just then she felt a light touch and a soft breeze that caused her to open her eyes. Brandy blinked to be sure she wasn't seeing things. In her hand was a single white orchid. She didn't question where it had come from, or how it was possible. Slowly she lifted the delicate flower to her nose and inhaled the sweet scent.

~Snowbird...~ Brandy reached out with her mind. But Brandy held the answer in the palm of her hand. Lifting the flower, she placed it securely in her hair. She got the message loud and clear.

Brandy checked Alex once more as well as Jenna and Lindsay then set to task. Focusing now on the soul task of keeping her crewman alive as best she could, she listened. In part that had been what had made her a great doctor and counselor was her ability to listen. However, this time, instead of a patient, she was concentrating on any sound outside their cell. Anything that might tell her what was happening around them. Working out the patterns of movements that would allow them the chance to escape.

Determination filled her eyes and renewed her spirit and as if he sensed the change in her Alex opened his eye and looked up at her. "Brandy?" he asked causing Jenna and Lindsay to look over to her. With a soft smile she looked down at him. "Rest now Captain, everything is going to be all right. I promise." and Brandy looked for all the world as though she believed it.