You Might Be a Valentine Yet

Disclaimer: I don't own Andromeda, unfortunately.  If I did, Dylan would be either dead or more like first-season Dylan.  That said, I do own Allie and the plot.  And for those of you who've read Let It Be, Allie and Andy have absolutely no relationship to each other.

Rating: PG

Summary: Beka finds out she has a cousin—then finds out she's supposed to take her cousin with her.

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Chapter One: Wayist Convenience

"This is ridiculous, Rev."

"Patience, Rebekah.  Patience."

She'd had it up to here with patience, and her dark scowl showed it.  She didn't want to be here, on a stupid planet, waiting for someone she didn't really want to see.

Rev had bullied--no, guilted her into it.  He'd approached her while she was relaxing with a steaming mug of coffee and dropped the bombshell that was the news that she had a recently orphaned cousin.  While she hadn't dropped her coffee, she'd been close--a cousin was new to her.  She knew her dad had siblings, but hadn't known any of them had children beside her Uncle Joe, and those cousins were relatively unknown.  Another cousin, especially one who lived on a planet, was a complete surprise.  And somehow, Rev had guilted her into going to check it out.

At least someone was finally coming to meet them, some Wayist monk by the name of Father Marcus, according to Rev.  That was another thing--her cousin not only had grown up on a planet, but had also apparently spent a lot of time in the monastery.  Beka had the feeling that she wouldn't like this cousin much at all.

"Rebekah?"

A blush almost crept into her features when she realized the two Wayists had stopped exchanging their Wayist greetings and had turned their attention to her.  "Huh?"

"Rebekah, this is Father Marcus; Father, this is Captain Rebekah Valentine."

"Nice to meet ya," she said, trying not to sound annoyed as she stuck her hand out.  "Call me Beka."

"Beka, I can't tell you how grateful we are and how wonderful it is that you're going to take Allie with you.  She--"

Beka cut him off with a raised hand.  "Who?"

"Your cousin, of course.  She's too old to stay in the orphanage, and though she's a great help, she's really too young to work in the hospice of the school.  It's so kind of you to offer her a home on your ship--"

She interrupted him again.  "Hey, wait a second!  I never agreed to that!"

"Isn't that the reason you came?" Father Marcus asked, looking confused.  "I did put forth the question in the message I send to Brother Behemial Far-Traveller."

"He left that part out.  Conveniently."  Beka shot a death glare at Rev, who stepped forward.

"Beka," he said with the placating tone that meant Beka was going to agree to do anything he asked, if only to spare herself moral torment.  "At least meet her.  Spend a few days together.  Who knows?  You might get along well, and an extra set of hands around the Marucannot hurt."

Beka sighed.  Yep, she was going to give in.  "Fine.  Let's take a look at her."

Father Marcus called to someone, and within moments a small, sullen-looking twelve-year-old shuffled out.  "Beka, this is Alessa Kayley Valentine.  Everyone just calls her Allie.  Allie, this is your cousin, Beka."

Neither Beka nor Allie moved an inch, Beka studying Allie and knowing Allie was doing the same thing.

The girl was definitely a Valentine, although she had none of the Valentine height.  Her eyes were a similar bluish-green to Beka's, and her hair was a few shades lighter, but still red.  Her facial features vaguely resembled Beka's, but the tanner skin and scattering of freckles across Allie's nose and cheeks told that she lived under the sun, while Beka's own pasty complexion came from the artificial lighting of the Maru.  There was no denying that they were cousins, but as far as Beka was concerned, they came from two different worlds that she wasn't sure could ever have anything to do with each other on a daily basis.

"Hi.  I don't want to leave the planet and I bet you don't want to take me," the girl said, ending the silence abruptly.  "They want me to go, though, and since I owe them my life, I'll try to get along with you.  But not right now, cause I said I'm busy."  The last annoyed comment was directed at Father Marcus, and the girl ran away.

He looked apologetic.  "i'm sorry.  She only lost her parents a few weeks ago, and while their relationship was...somewhat less than perfect, she's still affected by the loss.  I assure you, she's usually very friendly."

"She doesn't want to talk.  I'm going back to the Maru," Beka said with a glare, but Rev stopped her with that tone and a few mild suggestions.

And so, a few hours later, Beka found herself sitting near a lake, slapping at bugs, and trying to find something to say to her cousin.  Allie took care of that.

"You know, they don't bite as much if you don't irritate them."

"No, I don't know, because I don't live on a goddamn planet, and I'm freaking irritated, thank you very much!" Beka yelled, and Allie immediately shrunk back.  Suddenly, she wasn't a sullen girl who wanted as little to do with Beka as Beka did with her; she was just a scared kid who didn't have a home or any family except for Beka.

And though she would never admit it, Beka had a soft spot for little lost puppy dogs and somehow know she was going to be taking this one in.

She was going to put up one hell of a fight first, though.  Her pride would demand nothing lest.  That torturous day at the lake was followed up by several more.  Beka found out that Allie's father had been just as addicted to Flash as her own, and her mother just as much an alcoholic as Alayna could be, and Allie had nearly died when she was born.  She'd nearly died again when her mother was unable to nurse her, and the Wayists had saved her life.  That was why she was at the monastery so often.  Not only did she not want anything to do with her parents, who had never meant to have her and didn't want anything to do with her either, but she also felt she owed a debt to the Wayists.  They really weren't as dull as Beka thought, Allie explained; they just lived a simple life and enjoyed the outdoors, children, and helping people.  In return, Beka had given some of her own life, sympathizing with Allie over the perils of a Flash-fried parent and admitting that she'd often wished she'd had somewhere to run away to.  She told Allie about her currently ex-boyfriend, Bobby Jenkins, whom she was currently mad at because he'd brought Flash junkies onto her ship and they'd broken a few things, costing Beka a good deal of money.  She also worked in how because of the cost, they hadn't eaten well for a few weeks, but Allie hadn't seemed to mind.  This continued until the absolute second-to-last day that Beka could be on the planet.  Allie was in the lake, playing in the water--she'd lost a lot of her sullen shyness when Beka had stopped snapping and started talking--and Beka was watching her, thinking about how she could ever justify bringing a kid onto the Maru.

"How come you never come in?  The water's nice," Allie called, sounding a little hesitant.

"I don't swim."

Allie looked perplexed.  "Why not?  It's fun."

"I can't," Beka told her, unashamed.  And, guessing Allie's next question, "I'm not on planets that often; I don't like them.  When I am on them, it's strictly for business."

That interested Allie enough that she waded out of the water, wrapping a towel around herself and going to sit next to Beka.  "Why don't you like planets?"

Beka shrugged.  "I grew up in space, and I'm used to it, I guess.  Planets feel funny, and smell funny, and sound funny."

"I guess living on your ship would be funny for me," Allie said, twisting around a rock in her hands.  "I haven't ever been off my planet.  But I could get used to a ship.  To space."

The earnest expression in Allie's eyes, combined with the fact that the girl was pretty easy to get along with, was almost enough for Beka to let her come right then.  But something still fought back.  "What can you do, Allie?  I can't have a dead weight on my ship."

Allie bit her lip, considering.  "I can draw, and paint, and do a little bit of medical stuff, and cook, and--"

"Wait," Beka interrupted.  "Did you say you can cook?"

"Yep.  One of the fathers taught me," Allie said.

That was the excuse Beka had been unconsciously looking for.  "Allie, welcome to my crew."

And since Beka had said it, she couldn't back out the next day when Allie showed up at the Maruwith her very few belongings--some clothes, a battered sketchbook, a few pencils, and some food as a gift from the monks.  Beka would definitely have to get the girl some clothes...she couldn't believe she was thinking that way.  As if the girl was already her responsibility, even though Beka could technically still send the girl back.  But she wouldn't...she really couldn't.  Now that she'd accepted Allie as family, she couldn't turn the girl away now.

"You ready?"

Allie nodded, looking a little nervous.  She bent down and brushed the grass, as if saying goodbye, then marched into the Maru.  Typical Valentine stubborness.  Maybe she was a real Valentine, after all.  "I'm ready."

"Well, hold on, then."  Allie clung nervously to the railing as Beka lifted off, and then gripped on even more tightly as they moved towards the atmosphere and into space.  "Ready for slipstream, kid?"

"Slipstream?" Allie asked, a very tiny tremor in her voice.

"The only way to travel long distances.  You'll see."  Beka prepared them for a short jump, seeing as it was Allie's first time, then took them in.

Almost immediately, Beka could hear things were going wrong for Allie.  The girl ended up on the deck, heaving everything that she'd ever eaten onto the metal plating.  Beka took them out of slipstream as Rev was helping Allie to sit up, and unstrapped and hurried over as quickly as possible.

"I'm sorry," Allie whispered, sounding like she was about to cry.  But looking at her, Beka couldn't be angry.  Allie was plainly miserable, her face grey and sweaty, eyes dull.

"It's okay," Beka said with a sigh.  "Rev, clean that up?"  She helped Allie to her feet and brought her to the crew quarters, getting her to lay down on one of the bunks.  "Listen, kid, I can take you back.  But you have to decide now."

Despite her pallid color, Allie's face took on a stubborn set.  "I want to stay.  I'd--I'd like to stay.  I'll do better.  I'll get used to it, if--if you can get used to me, too."

Beka nodded and gave her a hesitant smile, which was just as hesitantly returned.  "You might be a Valentine yet, kid.  Try and get some sleep."  Beka turned to leave, then jumped when Allie grabbed her hand, but managed to squeeze Allie's small hand in reassurance.

And somehow she knew they were in for the long haul.

To Be Continued…