#no fandom does angst quite as well as aos!star trek | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

spacedancer1701 · 5 years ago

Text

Another Life - a Star Trek fic - (Chapters 26 - 30)

Sequel to ‘On Borrowed Time’

Fandoms: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (AOS) Pairing: McCoy x Original Female Character (Dr. Jennifer Hope) Characters: The Crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) Rating/Warnings: None Tags: Romance, Friendship, Love, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Angst/H/C, Caring/Protective/Tender/Comforting/Happy/Grumpy/Worried McCoy Word Count: This is a long one. Again. 😄 (71 chapters - 177k)

Read it on AO3: Another Life

Chapter 26

Deeply touched by Hope’s words, McCoy’s heart was brimming over with love. What she’d just described was exactly how he’d always hoped to make her feel. Ever since he’d overheard her explaining this beautiful German expression to Uhura, that time in the mess, ages ago.

Geborgen.

They hadn’t been more than colleagues then, really, and yet, looking back, he knew he’d already been irrevocably in love.

“Tell me, love,” he asked, smiling down at her and suddenly feeling the need to hold her extra gently, her slight frame seeming even more fragile to him than before. “Does that mean you feel ‘geborgen’ with me?”

“Of course, I do, Leonard,” she chuckled, sounding surprised at the question, “very much so.”

“That’s good,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.

“How do you even know this word?” she asked, intrigued, turning around and pushing herself up to look at him.

The doctor let his gaze drift off into the distance, casting his mind back in time to when he’d first heard the expression.

“I've actually known it for quite some time,” he smiled, “and I've wanted you to feel that way ever since I first heard it.”

“Oh, come on, tell me already! Where did you first hear it?” Jenny, ever curious, whined and impatiently poked him in the ribs.

“All right, all right, I’ll tell you,” McCoy chuckled, always enjoying teasing her a little. “It was soon after you first came aboard. You were discussing linguistics with Uhura, talking about how some words were so hard to translate, because they had no equivalent in other languages. ‘Geborgen’ was one example.”

“I dimly remember this conversation with Nyota,” Hope wrinkled her nose in concentration, one of her many adorable mannerisms, “but I don't recall you being there.”

“Never mind, love, you were deeply engrossed in the subject,” McCoy remembered fondly, “and I was having a coffee at the next table, happy to just sit there and listen to the two of you nattering away. I recall thinking what a beautiful word it was, and how a girl like you should always feel that way.”

He took a deep breath, suddenly overcome with emotion, as it hit him how much he’d already cared for her even then.

“But it wasn’t just the word and all that it stands for, that resonated with me. It was the way you explained it, the way you talked about it so passionately, your voice so full of longing, that went straight to my heart. I could tell that you hadn’t just chosen a random example, but that this word held a lot of meaning for you personally. It was quite obviously something you deeply longed for.”

Hope’s eyes were growing wide, as she listened attentively. She was obviously only just beginning to understand quite how much attention he’d been paying to her from the beginning.

“I’ve wanted you to feel that way ever since,” he continued, reaching out to gently cup her cheek in his hand. “Every time I held you – or even just your hand, when you were scared or injured or troubled, I’d think, Please, let her feel ‘geborgen’ now. Like on your first assignment, when you were too scared to sleep. Or when you finally confided in me about your secret past. When I held your hand after you’d told me about what your friend’s father had done to you. And the night after, when I held you all night, sleeping in that cave. Or when I held you in my arms, shaken and shivering, after we'd saved that little girl from the pool. Those and all the other times, I was hoping to make you feel ‘geborgen’.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

“And you did, Leonard,” Jenny exclaimed, losing herself in his tender eyes, her heart melting, as she realised just how much she’d meant to him from the start. “Every time. All the time. You’ve made me feel ‘geborgen’ since my very first day on the Enterprise. Since long before we became lovers. Before you even knew the word. Because that's what you do, who you are. You give people ‘Geborgenheit’.”

She could sense McCoy’s emotion as he pulled her close again, and happily snuggled into his warm and loving embrace.

Her mind wandered back to the cave he’d mentioned earlier, making her smile.

“That night in the cave, you know,” she began, reaching up to caress his face.

“What about it, love?” he murmured, nuzzling her hair and nestling his cheek into the palm of her hand.

“That was the best night of my life,” she sighed dreamily.

“Oh?” he responded, and she could practically hear him lift an indignant eyebrow.

“Until then, at least,” she clarified quickly, chuckling when he grunted his approval.

“Seriously, Leonard,” Jenny went on, gently tracing his expressive eyebrow with her thumb, “lying in your arms that night, I remember thinking that, even on the cold, hard floor of a draughty and damp cave, I felt happier and more ‘geborgen’ than I’d ever felt before in my life. In fact, I probably didn’t realise the full meaning of the word until that night.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

McCoy exhaled deeply, taking a few moments to absorb her words, and letting them warm his heart and soul. His mind drifting back to that cave, he drew immense pleasure from knowing that he’d managed to make her feel the way he’d intended.

“You’re right,” he said at last, “that night was very special. It might well have been the night that changed everything.”

“How’s that?” she asked, intrigued, and he could hear how much she was enjoying this conversation, revelling in the memories of that particular night. “Was that the night you fell in love with me?”

“Oh no,” he chuckled, giving her an affectionate squeeze and planting a tender kiss on her head.

Her eagerness to make a trip down memory lane was tangible, and he was happy to indulge her.

“I fell head over heels in love with you the moment I first saw you. But that night in the cave was probably the first time I admitted it – if only to myself. Holding you like that, there was no more denying that what I felt for you was much more than just fatherly affection. I remember lying awake for nights afterwards, longing to hold you again, yet tormenting myself over the aberration of my feelings for you and blaming myself for letting it go that far. But, as we both know, in the end it still took a lot more time after that, an amazing vacation and some serious convincing on your side, until I finally gave in to the inevitable.”

He paused a little, shaking his head in silent wonder.

“What a waste of time. But then, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Getting to know you as I did, falling in love with you a little more every day, was just wonderful.”

“I know exactly what you mean, Leonard,” Hope said softly, regarding him tenderly. “It was just the same for me. Drawn to you from the moment we met and I volunteered to work in sickbay. Wanting to be near you and trying to stay away at the same time, for fear of being too obvious. Convincing myself that I was too young for you to take me seriously, that you’d never be interested in me as a woman.”

McCoy snorted and let his hands roam all over her body, smiling when he felt her shiver with longing.

“And what a woman you are,” he crooned. “All woman. Even though I agree, you were far too young, it was impossible to ignore your charms, I can tell you!”

Laughing and squirming a little under his teasing touch, she went on, “I adored you, Leonard. I admired you, and I was more than content to just be your friend. Even though it was obvious that you cared about me, I thought that was just part of being the kind of doctor you are. And I was, of course, perfectly aware that you were trying to gain my trust, hoping that I would open up about my past. But when I slipped into your arms that night in the cave, it felt like… it’s hard to explain… like coming home, like I belonged there. It was the most wonderful feeling. I even dreamed about you gently kissing me goodnight, practically feeling your lips in my hair.”

She shook her head, chuckling softly at the memory.

“You were still awake then?” McCoy burst out, still embarrassed after all this time.

“You mean,” Hope asked guardedly, “I wasn’t imagining it after all?”

“No, my love,” he replied guiltily. “I really did brush a kiss on your hair that night, when I thought you were fast asleep.”

He fell silent, ashamed of having lost control and taken advantage of the situation, if just for a single moment. It was against everything he believed in, definitely against his moral code as a doctor and as an officer. He’d been in charge, responsible for her, and she’d trusted him. And even though it had just been one innocent kiss on her head, he suddenly felt the need to explain.

“You have no idea what I was going through that evening,” McCoy sighed, unable to look her in the eye. “What being so close to you was doing to me. Our very private conversations, our voices so beautifully in harmony when we passed the time with that singing competition. I just couldn’t help myself, I simply had to let out some of all those pent-up emotions.”

He puffed out a self-conscious chuckle.

“And then, with you lying there in my arms, so completely trusting and peacefully asleep, or at least that’s what I thought,” he chortled, “I was overwhelmed by the intensity of my feelings. Completely unprepared for the depth of my love for you. And your pressing up against me while you were trying to get comfortable didn’t exactly help.”

“Wow,” was all Hope got out, quite obviously blown away by his revelation. “If only I’d known.”

She kissed him tenderly on the lips, lost in her own sweet memories of that night, and apparently not sharing his view that what he’d done had been in any way indecent. Looking at her sweet face, he could feel the romance of the night in that cave every bit as intensely as he had then.

“Every time I think I couldn’t possibly love you any more than I already do, you go and say or do something that makes me fall in love with you all over again,” she murmured, and McCoy was thrilled to know that he could still touch her this deeply with his words.

-x-x-x-x-x-

“Anyway,” Jenny continued after a while, “after that night there was no denying that I was madly in love with you. Not only as my friend and mentor, but in every sense of the word. Nevertheless, it took an amazing vacation, as you put it, for me to feel confident that our age difference didn’t really matter to you, that you didn’t mind my lack of experience, and…”

“Silly us,” McCoy cut in, shaking his head, “there you were worrying about being too young and inexperienced, while I fretted over being too old to keep up with your youthful vigour.”

Jenny nodded, amusement lighting up her face and eyes.

“Sorry,” McCoy said softly, “I rudely interrupted you there. You were saying?”

“I was saying,” she smiled, feeling a little mischievous, “it took an amazing holiday and some minor signs of jealousy on your part, to finally make me realise that you might see me as a woman rather than a girl after all.”

Seeing McCoy flush a deep red at that, she could hardly keep from laughing out loud.

“Jealous? Me? You must be kidding!” he growled.

“Oh come on, I thought it was just so sweet,” she giggled.

“It was pathetic,” he grumbled, not even trying to deny it any longer. “And not something I’m proud of, either, I can tell you. But if it helped bring us together, I’ll gladly admit to it. I’ve never known jealousy like this before. And I certainly didn’t have the right to feel it, when we weren’t even together. But then, I’ve never before loved anyone else the way I love you, either.”

Jenny’s heart leapt with joy, hearing him declare his love for her like that. He was such a wonderful man, so special, and everything to her. And even though she knew how he felt about her, she could never get enough of hearing him say it out loud.

“Honestly,” McCoy went on uncomfortably, still dwelling on the subject, “I’ve never been the jealous type before. Not excessively, anyway. When someone left me for someone else, I always thought I deserved it. And when I found out that Jocelyn was cheating on me, I was more angry than jealous. The love was already gone.”

Jenny was sorry to have brought this up in the first place. She’d only meant to tease him a little, not upset him. But of course, she should have guessed that after Jocelyn, everything to do with infidelity would be a touchy subject for him.

“But with you, it’s different. Everything is,” McCoy continued quietly, and the earnest look on his face told her how important this was to him. “You’re special, Jenny. You’re … sacred to me, there is no other word for it. The thought of anyone else touching you the way I’m allowed to, makes me sick.”

“Me too,” she smiled, hoping to ease his mind and meaning every word. “I wouldn’t want anyone else to touch me that way, either.”

Then, thinking of all the delicious ways the doctor loved to touch her, she added with a grin, “Not that I think anyone could.”

-x-x-x-x-x-

McCoy felt heat rising inside him at her words, her cheeky grin telling him exactly what she was thinking right now. And although he was mentally kicking himself for having pursued the subject at all, he was grateful that she’d so expressly assured him of her faithfulness. Not that he thought her to be the cheating kind anyway. She might leave him one day, yes, but she’d certainly never cheat on him, of that he was sure.

“You don’t still feel jealous, do you?” Hope broke into his thoughts, the gentle concern in her eyes reminding him that she’d never mock his insecurities. “My dancing with Pavel, for example. Does it bother you?”

“No, of course not,” he was quick to reply.

Although he had to admit that watching her in Chekov's arms still rankled a little. But Hope was true and loyal to a fault, there was no doubt about it, and he really liked the young Russian, too. And even though it was obvious that the boy was still as infatuated with her as ever, Hope had never given him reason to believe that she felt anything but friendship for Pavel.

McCoy didn’t know how convincing he’d sounded, but Hope chose not to doubt his answer. And she certainly didn't offer to stop dancing with Chekov. He'd never ask her to give up something she loved on his behalf, no matter his feelings, and she knew that.

“I’m sorry I brought this whole jealousy thing up, Leonard,” Jenny smiled, kissing him softly and looking him straight in the eye. “And I certainly didn’t mean for you to explain or defend yourself. I just wanted to tease you a little, because it was extremely sweet and flattering at the time. And totally unfounded, I can assure you. I haven’t been interested in any other man since the day we first met. It sounds soppy, I know, but that’s just the way it is.”

“Can’t be too sappy for me,” McCoy countered, emphasising his use of the American term, touched by the way she’d tried to put him at ease, so typically Hope, always acutely aware of people’s sensibilities and needs.

Speaking of which, he thought, feeling another kind of need demanding to be taken care of. It would seem their conversation had made him want her more than ever. So, before she could say any more, he covered her mouth with a hungry kiss.

“I just can wait any longer, love,” he murmured against her lips. “That night in the cave? You want to know what I felt? I think I really need to show you rather than just talk about it.”

And remembering how he’d hardly been able to contain himself when she’d pressed up against him that night, trying to get comfortable in his arms, he felt a sudden urge to get even.

So, with a wicked glint in his eye that Jenny recognised only too well, and which sent a pleasant shiver of anticipation through her, the doctor focused all his skilful attention on her magnificent body. Grateful for every little thing in their past that had brought them together and led to the wonderfully fulfilling relationship they had now.

Chapter 27

Hardly feeling his legs anymore, McCoy was dragging his exhausted body through the corridors towards his quarters. It had only been a week, but the evening cuddled up in bed with Hope, basking in memories and their love, seemed like a lifetime ago.

He remembered lying awake in the small hours of the next morning, unable to go back to sleep after having woken from yet another nightmare of Hope falling down crevices and worse. Still rattled by the events of the previous day, all he’d really wanted was to feel her warm and very alive body, peacefully asleep, nestled against him. It hadn’t been the first time, he’d come this close to losing her. And it very probably wouldn’t be the last. But he was certainly never going to get used to the feeling.

He wouldn’t have minded staying in bed forever, just holding her and keeping her from each and every harm, but of course, that was never going to happen. Instead, just like the dutiful officers they were, they’d got up in time for their shifts, and had helped pick up the pieces after the Trian earthquake debacle.

Fortunately, Trias hadn’t had to report many casualties, so the Trians had politely declined Kirk’s offer of additional medical support. They had, however, gratefully accepted the Enterprise’s geologists’ help, appreciating their vast experience and access to the Federation’s data banks regarding earthquakes. And, of course, the negotiations had to continue as well.

Kirk and McCoy had had a heart to heart over breakfast, Kirk’s refusal to go after Hope still hanging between them. But, as always, they’d quickly made up, both apologising and accepting the other’s apology in return. It was how their friendship worked. They didn’t need many words. With the Andorian ambassador already aboard, and the Tellarite ambassador still on the planet, McCoy acknowledged that Kirk hadn’t really had a choice, and that the decision had been hard on the captain, too, whereas Kirk admitted he’d been sure that the doctor would never leave Hope behind, and had, in fact, counted on him disobeying his orders and going after her anyway.

Besides, Kirk always cut Bones some slack regarding the way he talked to his captain. Or any superior for that matter. And frankly, he wouldn’t even want the doctor to hold back. His friend’s unfiltered words had often proved invaluable input, and the captain had come to rely on McCoy to speak his mind. Whether or not to follow the doctor’s advice, remained Kirk’s decision, after all.

As peacefully as the morning had started for McCoy, the respite from his fretting had been very brief, indeed, as by the end of the day, the doctor had had a sickbay full of security officers fighting for their lives after saving one careless ambassador from his own folly and getting themselves severely poisoned in the process.

Damn ambassadors!

Apparently, this idiot had been intent on getting a good look at the dinosaurs, and found a way to deactivate part of the forcefield. Finding himself attacked right after setting foot, or rather hoof, on the other side, the security detail had had no choice but to go after him and save his hide. Regrettably, while able to drive away the assaulting beasts, they’d got themselves stung by some symbiotic insects that turned out to be highly toxic for humans hours later, after they’d already returned to the Enterprise.

Even with the Trians’ support, who’d instantly supplied all the information they had on the insects in question, it had taken McCoy almost two days to find an effective antidote. Two days of continuous lab work, while at the same time doing everything to keep the wide range of symptoms at bay. And not just rashes or itches, either, but severe symptoms like sudden heart or lung failure or temporary blindness.

With all this going on, the doctor hadn’t left sickbay for a minute those first two days and nights, and even when everybody had been given the antidote, he hadn’t really dared to leave his patients alone for long. In sum, McCoy had spent exactly half a night in his quarters all week, and then he’d been far too anxious and exhausted for more than a little cuddle with Hope. Spending actual time with her seemed like a distant memory.

Not for lack of trying on her side, though, he was ashamed to admit. Having to attend the negotiations all day, she hadn’t had a lot of time to spend in sickbay, like she normally most certainly would have. But she’d still tried to find time for a quick coffee in the evenings, at least. Every time she’d shown up, however, bearing gifts in the form of steaming coffee mugs, he’d found himself talking about nothing but his current medical issues. He knew, of course, how much she needed to talk about her day, share her experiences, too, but he’d simply not been able to really pay attention to any of her stories. Frankly, just seeing that she’d come back from Trias in one piece, had been all he’d needed to know.

Hope, unsurprisingly, had claimed she understood, letting him prattle on about his thoughts and theories, listening attentively to all his fears and problems. And he didn’t doubt that she did. So far, she’d always been very understanding where his job was concerned. The only question was, for how much longer? Would she always put up with him being busy elsewhere for days, or weeks at a time? Or would she start turning to other people sooner or later? People – men – with time to spare, who were there for her? Like Chekov, for example? Maybe Jocelyn had been understanding, too, in the beginning. He honestly couldn’t remember.

So, now, McCoy was standing outside his quarters with a guilty conscience and mixed feelings, both longing to finally be with Hope again, but at the same time fully expecting her to be in a huff with him. All his fears were allayed, of course, the moment he entered and she came flying into his arms, wrapping him in love and tender kisses. He really should have known.

Drawing back a little, Hope’s eyes took on a concerned look.

"Oh, Leonard, you look exhausted!” she exclaimed, eyes glistening with compassion. “Come on, let me take care of you."

Taking him by the hand, she pulled him over to the bed, gently stripping him of his clothes along the way, made him lie down on his stomach, and started to massage his aching body.

“You’ve given your all this past week,” she murmured softly, as her hands caressed his back and shoulders. “Now it’s time to let go. No more decisions today, no more responsibilities. You just rest and let me take over.”

She's definitely too good to be true, were his last coherent thoughts, before surrendering to her gentle hands and giving in to the blissful feeling of being pampered and cared for.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Jenny had expected a worn out and tired McCoy to come back to his quarters that night, and had already made preparations for a relaxed evening, wanting to make him comfortable and spoil him a little after the week he’d had. But when she saw how completely drained he looked, her heart went out to him.

She admired how committed he was to his job and his patients. The way he was a healer with all his heart was one of the things she loved so much about him. But his devotion sometimes bordered on self-destruction, and she’d made it her mission to look after him, whenever he was too caught up in his medical duties.

Only this time, with the negotiations going on, unfortunately, she hadn’t been around all that much. Christine, of course, always tried her best, too, taking as many responsibilities off the CMS’s hands as she could. But with everything going on in sickbay during the past week, the nurse had probably hardly been able to look after herself, let alone the doctor.

At least she could be here for him now, Jenny thought, looking fondly at Leonard’s familiar form, while her hands were trying to ease away the tension in his muscles. And she seemed to be doing a good job, judging from the little sighs and moans of pleasure her touches drew from him.

“I don’t deserve you, love,” he murmured sleepily, making her smile.

“No, you don’t,” she laughed affectionately, “you deserve much better.”

At that, McCoy turned around, rolling over onto his back, to look at her, the unbridled love in his eyes nearly taking her breath away.

“You know, I came here with a guilty conscience, love,” he smiled ruefully at her, “fully expecting you to be cross with me, or at least upset for having shamefully neglected you. But you gave me this prodigal-son-returns-home hug instead and said those magic words.”

“What magic words?” Jenny chuckled, leaning down to press a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Let me take care of you,” McCoy answered dreamily, his eyelids drooping, and was fast asleep moments later.

Jenny gazed at his beautiful face, so relaxed and serene in sleep now, overwhelmed, once again, by the depth of her love for him. He more than deserved to be taken care of, and she was grateful that he let her, given that he usually liked it the other way round.

He was such a wonderful man, so very caring and generous, no matter how hard he tried to hide it behind his affected surliness. And she felt a rush of immense happiness every time she was reminded of what a special place she held in this big heart of his.

Chapter 28

McCoy and Hope were standing side by side on the observation deck, gazing out at the stars in companionable silence. Not quite touching, but close enough to feel each other’s warm and loving presence. The last few days, since they’d left the Trias system, had been blissfully peaceful, and between sickbay being unusually quiet, and Hope being busy doing all the things that Hope liked to do in her free time, the doctor had had time to reflect on their relationship.

He’d found that he always tried to be strong for her, to look out for her and protect her, because that was how he liked to see himself, what he wanted to be in his heart. But on closer inspection, truth was that even in the beginning, long before they’d become lovers, she’d been there for him just as much as he’d been there for her. He might have helped her through a difficult time during those first few months aboard the Enterprise, but she’d always proven herself immensely supportive and a great source of comfort in return, basically filling his life with happiness. A kind of happiness he hadn’t known before.

And even when she’d seen him at his worst, his weakest, when he’d broken down over Joanna’s illness, she’d shown nothing but strength and support, not once wavering in her love and respect for him. He’d been terribly embarrassed about losing it so completely in front of her, but she’d been adamant that that hadn’t been weakness at all. On the contrary, she thought that functioning as a scientist while beside himself with fear for his daughter had required exceptional strength, and that, if anything, that whole episode had made her feel even safer with him.

How does she always find the right words? McCoy thought fondly, and felt the sudden need to talk about all this to Hope. To tell her how much he loved and appreciated her, loved being in a relationship with her, but at the same time to open up about his fears, too.

“Our relationship is so different from my former ones,” he began quietly. “You are so different. You never nag me about committing myself too much to my job or neglecting you.”

“Why would I?” Hope answered, sounding sincerely surprised. “It’s who you are, it’s part of why I love you. You never “nag” me about immersing myself in my work, either. Or spending time with the band, practicing, or with Pavel, dancing, for that matter.”

She chuckled, her eyes twinkling in this gently teasing, adorable way that never failed to lift his spirits.

“Seriously, Leonard,” she continued, obviously realising that he needed actual reassurance, “I don’t feel neglected at all. In fact, and please don’t take this wrong, I need my time away from you. I mean, didn’t your exes have lives of their own? I enjoy spending time and doing things with my other friends, too. Just like I wouldn’t want you to turn your back on your other friends. I perfectly understand if you want to spend some time alone with the captain, or Scotty, or whoever. We’re not joined at the hip.”

A naughty glint lit up her eyes.

“Although I definitely enjoy the times when our hips…”

“Stop right there!” McCoy groaned, laughing, “I get the picture, thank you very much!”

And a moment later, he winked at her and whispered, “Uh, by the way, the feeling’s mutual.”

Hope laughed out loud at that, then got serious again and held his gaze.

“What really matters, Leonard, is that, whatever I do and whoever I spend time with, I’ll be coming back to you at the end of the day. That knowledge alone is enough for me to be perfectly happy. You’re my anchor, my rock, my… home. Yes, wherever you are, is home to me.”

She uttered those last words wonderingly, as if the fact had only just occurred to her.

“You’ll be there to share my worries and my joys, just as I’ll be there to share yours. And I know that, however busy you might be, you’ll always be there for me when I really need you. What we have is perfect, Leonard. At least for me.”

McCoy was thrown. Hope’s words had gone straight to his heart, making him tingle all over as a comforting warmth spread through his body.

“You’re amazing,” he murmured, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Not only do you accept everything I do, everything I am, without complaining, you even encourage me to stay that way. Surely, there must be something you’d like to change about me?”

“Not a single thing, Leonard. Because then you wouldn’t be you anymore,” Hope smiled lovingly, and then, eyes sparkling with mischief, added, “However, had you asked me, if I found some things about you irritating, now that would be a different story altogether…”

She jumped and laughed, when the doctor playfully poked her in the ribs for that last comment.

“Don’t be cheeky, Lieutenant!” he chided, squeezing her briefly before resuming his former position beside her, looking out at the stars.

Of course, by now everyone aboard the Enterprise suspected them to be more than just friends, and McCoy was sure they’d even approve of their relationship, but being too intimate in front of the crew just didn’t feel right. And he was grateful that Hope fully agreed with him in that respect.

Like she seems to agree with me in most every respect, he thought affectionately.

McCoy let a couple of minutes pass, just enjoying their closeness and the soothing view the picture window offered, before taking up the conversation again. There was still more he needed to address.

“It’s just that, sometimes, I worry that I’m asking too much of you,” he said softly. “When I can’t stop talking about work, even when I’m off duty, and you’ll listen patiently, help me get my thoughts in order, even give me new ideas and make me see things from a different perspective.”

“But isn’t that what partners do?” Hope smiled, turning to look at him again. “Support each other? You sure have given me more than enough support of your own since we met, don’t you think?”

McCoy nodded once, taking her point.

“But I can be a real old curmudgeon when I worry about something,” he went on, not yet ready to drop the subject. “I know that. What about the times when I’m moody and cranky and not in the mood for… you know what? You’re a healthy young woman, you have your… needs.”

Hope laughed out loud, tilting her head and gazing at him with a mixture of disbelief and reproach.

“You’re not serious now, are you, Leonard?” she asked, shaking her head. “Would you try to, or even want to … you know what … with me, if I weren't in the mood or had other things on my mind?”

“Of course not!” he shot back promptly, appalled by the very idea. “That would be nothing short of rape!”

Hope said nothing in return, but just kept looking at him, raising a knowing eyebrow.

“Oh, I see,” he mumbled after a moment and grudgingly agreed, “you’re right, of course. That was silly of me.”

Hope looked up at him with an indulgent grin, that mischievous glint, McCoy had come to love so much, returning to her eyes.

Leaning closer, she confided in a conspiratorial whisper, “But there’s something else, you know. And please don’t tell my partner I said that, but I’m okay with him not always being in the mood, because I know that he’ll be trying to make up for it the next time, and that’s really something a girl can look forward to. That’s when I get all my foot rubs and back rubs, and the most passionate … you know what… imaginable. Maybe I don’t tell him often enough – don’t want him to get big-headed, but my partner is the most wonderful lover. So, no complaints in that regard whatsoever.”

Hope straightened up again, moving slightly away from the doctor and trying hard not to guffaw, when she saw the colour that had risen to McCoy’s cheeks.

“And now you’re wondering where, the hell, she’s gone, this shy and innocent girl you first fell in love with,” she giggled, her eyes shining with mirth.

“Something along those lines, yes,” he chuckled.

“Well, I’ve got sad news for you, Doctor,” Hope responded with a look of fake regret on her face. “That girl’s gone for good. And that sure is one thing you have to take all the blame for.”

McCoy couldn’t help grinning, and squeezed her waist, before she continued.

“I mean it, Leonard. You’re a doctor,” Hope’s eyes were serious again. “You don’t stop caring about your patients when you’re off duty. You can’t quit searching for solutions until you’ve found them, when it’s a matter of life and death. And you need a sounding board, or you’d go mad with your thoughts going round and round in your head. So, what’s the big deal? When you’re pouring over a problem, I’ll listen. When you’re in the middle of an emergency, I’ll try to support you and your team the best I can. It’s the least I can do. We’re on the same side in this. In everything. And you’ve always supported me, too.”

For the umpteenth time, McCoy found himself in awe of Hope’s keen insight, belying her youth and making her seem mature beyond her age. How did she always do this? Put his fears into a few simple words and then dispel them just like that.

He admired her level-headedness and appreciated her matter-of-fact way of speaking. That no-nonsense attitude he’d come to like and rely on to help him put his own feelings into perspective. And yet, Hope was far from cold or lacking emotion. On the contrary, she was the most warm-hearted, outgoing and affectionate person he knew. Quite how she managed to unite those two sides so effortlessly within her, eluded him, and certainly never ceased to amaze him.

McCoy had always thought himself a total failure when it came to matters of the heart. Seen himself as unfit for relationships, always feeling guilty for having disappointed yet again. No matter how much he loved them, he just couldn’t make a partner happy. Up until now, that was. Until Hope. Now, all of a sudden, he considered that maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t been the only one to blame. That maybe it had been them as well. Maybe he’d just never met the right person before. For Hope surely seemed very happy with him.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Spock was sitting in a corner at the far side of the observation deck, suppressing a very un-Vulcan smile. Of course, he’d never say anything, but he was pleased that McCoy and Hope were so happy together. It certainly kept McCoy mostly out of his hair nowadays, his contentiousness having diminished somewhat. And he felt admiration for Hope coping so well with always being somewhat of an outsider in this time, feeling a sort of connection with her there.

He had, of course, been trying not to listen in on their private conversation and to concentrate on his reading instead. Why did humans keep forgetting about the sensitivity of his Vulcan ears? McCoy and Hope had been talking too quietly for any other human to overhear, but it had been more than loud enough for him to be able to make out every word.

And even though he knew that social convention demanded he respect their privacy, his curiosity had got the better of him. Curiosity being the one emotion he allowed himself to have. Even if, in this particular case, it might also have been the interest of a caring friend. Whatever it was, it certainly didn’t stop him from wondering where the two of them were headed next, when he saw them leave the observation deck holding hands shortly after.

Chapter 29

Life couldn’t get any better than this, McCoy thought. A quiet sickbay, plenty of free time, and Hope, safe and sound, filling every space in his life and in his heart. Long conversations over dinner and coffee, hot, sneaky kisses in the turbolift or even in his office, after watching her moving suggestively around sickbay or throwing him naughty looks across mess halls and briefing rooms, incredible nights and tender mornings in his quarters. His face hurt with the unaccustomed strain of constantly smiling, and his heart ached in the best of ways, whenever he had to wait for the next private moment with her.

He couldn’t remember ever loving anyone more than Hope, and he was a hundred percent sure that he’d never been loved half as much before, warts and all. What she saw in him, he had no idea, couldn’t grasp even though she was happy to list a thousand reasons whenever she saw the doubt in his eyes. He was, however, getting better at not questioning it too much, and trying to simply delight in his luck instead.

The psychologist in him suspected that the reason why they felt so deeply for each other lay in the life they led, the excitement, the danger, the fear of losing the other. But then he thought back to their first shore leave, the one that had finally brought them together. There hadn’t been any excitement or fear there at all, unless maybe you counted a four-year-old falling into a pool. But helping an elderly couple across the beach or sharing a cake with a lovely teenage boy was hardly adventurous, not even at a stretch. And yet, he’d fallen a little more in love with Hope with every little gesture, every little thing she’d said or done during that glorious week.

No, life couldn’t get any better than this. McCoy knew that. Just like he knew that good things didn’t last. At least not in his world. Hope and he both had beaten death and disaster too many times. One of these days, they just had to run out of luck. Even a logical mind like Spock’s, calculating the odds, would have to agree. Despite feeling on top of the world, or, given the doctor’s disposition, more likely because of it, every happy thought was immediately followed by dread. Dread of this bliss ending somehow, and probably sooner rather than later. He couldn’t help it, he was wired like that.

-x-x-x-x-x-

This time, disaster didn’t strike, but crept up slowly. One day at a time. Jim had taken a landing party to a small, uninhabited planet. Just taking a few samples, having a look at the wildlife, nothing out of the ordinary. Everybody had been routinely checked and decontaminated on return, mission over. Or so they’d thought.

Three days later, Lt. Linden, a botanist and part of the recent landing party, arrived in sickbay with a stiff neck and a slight headache, asking for a pain reliever. McCoy didn’t think much of it. Unlike other people, Jim, for instance, who were permanently stressed and tense, Linden rarely came to him for painkillers or with other medical issues. So he just briefly ran a tricorder over her and sent her off with a mild analgesic.

The next day she was back with a full-on migraine, something she’d never suffered from before, dark circles around her eyes, and a feverish hue to her cheeks. McCoy put her on a biobed for a thorough examination, but couldn’t find anything wrong, apart from a slightly raised temperature. Nevertheless, he took blood samples, and put her under quarantine along with Kirk and the other members of the landing party as a precautionary measure.

Too late, as it turned out, even though Linden’s first blood tests, according to which she should have been in excellent health, still didn’t give any explanation. Only when McCoy drew some more blood and started over again, did he detect some kind of virus, unlike any he’d seen before. Going on to test Jim and the others, now that he knew exactly what he was looking for, he found them all infected by the same virus, even though none of them displayed any symptoms.

Cursing under his breath, mostly because he hadn’t detected any infectious agents when he’d first checked the landing party after their return, he assembled a team and set up camp in the biolab, not intending to leave until he’d found a way to get the captain and the others out of quarantine again.

It was a good thing he was a devoted scientist as much as a healer. Although, when he’d first joined Starfleet, he’d somehow imagined he’d be mainly dealing with accidents or war injuries. Smashed bones, haemorrhaging wounds, burns, that kind of thing. Maybe the odd appendicitis or upset stomach. He’d certainly not expected to be dealing with new diseases all the time. But then, he’d always said that space was disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence, hadn’t he?

Hope, bless her, had immediately cancelled all her linguistic activities and come to help Chapel set up and get organised for having eight people quarantined at the same time. She’d also come to the lab several times, trying to counter the increasingly frustrated mood with her natural optimism. And it worked, for every time she left again, his team seemed to be more focused on their tasks, more determined to find a cure for their captain and the others.

Things took a turn for the worse, when Ghatak, a member of the science department and one of Spock’s senior officers, didn’t show up for his shift, and was found dead in his quarters, obviously surprised by a heart attack while having a shower. Meticulous as he was, McCoy checked him for the virus, too, and to his horror found that Ghatak had been infected, even though he hadn’t been in the landing party.

That discovery, of course, immediately eliminated any hope of containing the virus, and McCoy quickly had himself and all sickbay and lab personnel tested. The result was devastating. They all tested positive, all but Hope, a silver lining that sent a feeling of disproportionate relief through his body. The next step, of course, was to have everybody aboard tested, and since Ghatak had neither been on the planet nor in sickbay recently, the odds in favour of finding more infected crew members throughout the ship scared the doctor.

To get her out of sickbay and away from himself and the other carriers, McCoy sent Hope on her way to collect blood samples from everyone, trusting that she understood the importance of wearing full protective gear for her own safety. The thought that he might not be able to hold or kiss her for a long time, if ever, briefly crossed his mind, making his blood run cold, but thankfully, there were a million other things to consider right now, keeping him from dwelling on that unwelcome thought.

By the time all blood samples had been tested, McCoy was no step closer to understanding what this nasty little virus actually did to the human body, let alone to finding a cure. All he knew was that the speed at which it spread was terrifying. This was one vicious little devil, and every single person aboard the Enterprise had tested positive. With two exceptions. Green-blooded Spock, which wasn’t all that surprising, and Hope, which was a complete mystery to the doctor. McCoy was convinced it had something to do with her 20th century physiology, some immunity she had that had been lost over the centuries. But damn if he knew what it was.

McCoy was sorely tempted to put Hope under quarantine now, to keep her safe, but his reasonable doctor’s brain convinced him of the absurdity of that. Instead, he settled on checking her for everything he could think of, hoping to find any clues as to her immunity. While he drew gallons of blood from her to examine, she mentioned feeling like Chekov at the time he’d been the only one in a landing party who hadn’t mysteriously aged, having heard the full story from Pavel several times. 1)

McCoy had, of course, already thought of and checked for that, too. To no avail.

“Pavel had been too scared that time. So maybe I’m too happily in love?” Hope joked, and the doctor couldn’t help smiling despite his growing frustration.

“But then I wouldn’t be infected, either, love, would I?” he countered, raising an amused eyebrow and briefly caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.

“You might be as much in love as I am, Leonard,” she said softly, and he could see that she was only half joking, “but with all your constant worrying, I’m afraid you can’t even begin to imagine the blissful happiness I’ve found in you.”

McCoy smiled and patted her cheek, closing his eyes for a moment to savour her words, and then told her to stay put for a couple of minutes to let her body recover. Maybe she was right, he’d give that theory another shot during his tests.

However, when more and more crew members came down with widely varying symptoms at an increasing rate, he gave up on analysing both the virus and Hope’s blood. It had become pretty clear that the virus simply targeted the weakest organs in every human’s body, and McCoy resorted to less refined methods, simply testing the effect of Hope’s blood on the virus. The result was amazing. Hope’s blood killed the virus. So, he started to work on a serum based on Hope’s blood.

Then another man died. Again one of the older crew members, one of Scotty’s trusted engineers and only ten years older than McCoy himself. The man had already undergone several kidney transplant surgeries and had died in his sleep.

Time was of the essence, and the doctor found that he couldn’t waste any more on research and testing. All he could think of was that he had to come up with an effective serum before he, too, started to have symptoms that might render him unfit for work. Much as he trusted and admired Spock, Jim and the first officer were busy enough running the Enterprise with half the crew already unfit for duty. The Vulcan would hardly have time to replace him and supervise his team’s progress on a serum on top of everything.

Deciding that it was time for more drastic actions, McCoy adapted the crude serum they had so far for his blood type and injected himself. It wasn’t the first time he’d done something like this, either, he grinned to himself while he waited for the serum to show effect. 2)

Although glad that he suffered none of the side effects he’d been half expecting, he soon realised that the serum had no effect on him at all. The virus lived on inside him, happily reproducing away. Not one to give up easily, McCoy injected himself two more times with ever increasing dosages, and almost cried with relief when it finally worked. Checking the results several times over, hardly believing that the virus had really been neutralised, he tried not to think of the amount of serum, and consequently Hope’s blood, it had taken to cure just one person.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Jenny nearly kissed the doctor right there in the lab, in front of everyone, when he told her the good news, and was happy to donate more of her blood for the serum. Apparently, McCoy hadn’t yet been able to determine what exactly it was that killed the virus, but for the time being seemed satisfied to know that it worked at all.

The doctor intended to treat the most urgent cases along with Kirk and the command crew next, and then take it from there, trying to get as much serum out of Jenny’s blood as possible. He was hoping to use his own blood and that of the other cured crew members soon, too.

“With the amount of blood we’ve drawn from you, I need you to promise me to be good and not get up any time soon, love,” he smiled as he personally set up the drip to compensate for her blood loss next to the biobed she was lying on. “I’ll be pretty busy and won’t be able to check on you. Can I trust you there?”

His tired eyes were filled with love and worry, and he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead when no one was looking.

Jenny wanted to hold on to him, feel his arms around her, comfort him and be comforted. But of course, that wasn’t an option. So she just nodded and waved him off to get on with the serum. And feeling, indeed, tired and a little woozy, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

1) Reference to the TOS episode “The Deadly Years” 2) Reference to the TOS episode “Miri”

Chapter 30

Mere seconds later, at least that’s what it felt like, Jenny woke up to the sound of Kirk and McCoy’s hushed voices in the middle of a whispered, but heated argument.

“There’s no way Hope can provide enough blood to save everyone aboard, Jim!” the doctor hissed. “Not within the necessary time frame, anyway. It’s much too risky, there’s only so much blood a human can give without suffering permanent damage or worse. You can’t ask her to give any more, and I certainly won’t allow it!”

“I understand your concern, Bones,” the captain whispered back placatingly. “But what’s the alternative?”

“I have no idea, Jim,” McCoy sounded defeated. “I’ve not even figured out what kind of antibodies her blood contains, let alone why my own blood, or yours, is useless. Maybe ours will develop whatever Hope’s contains with time. Time we don’t have.”

“So, what do you suggest?” Kirk’s voice was strained. “We’ve cured the commanding officers and a few more, what do we do now? Draw lots? Choose randomly, by rank, age, name in alphabetical order, and leave the others to die?”

“Well, as a doctor I’d start with those suffering from the most severe symptoms, of course, but maybe you and Starfleet have other priorities,” the doctor snapped, before letting out a resigned sigh, and Jenny’s heart broke at how deflated he sounded.

“I don’t know, Jim.”

“Well, you should, Bones!” the captain hissed, desperation making him bitter. “You’re the doctor, find a solution!”

“Jim, I…”

“And if you ask me, the solution is lying right over there.”

Jenny couldn’t stay out of it any longer. They were talking about her, after all.

“Captain,” she spoke up, “of course I’ll help in any way I can.”

Both heads whipped around, and McCoy was at her side in an instant, putting a protective hand on her arm.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Kirk smiled, coming over to stand at her other side.

“Jim!” McCoy growled, his tone warning.

The captain nodded at his agitated friend, then returned his gaze to Hope.

“But let Dr. McCoy explain the risks before you make a decision,” he finished.

“Okay, Doctor, I’m listening,” Jenny said, following Kirk’s lead and deliberately using Leonard’s title to make it clear that she was talking to him as a Starfleet officer and not as his partner.

“This is serious, Lieutenant,” McCoy fumed, eyes blazing as distress turned into anger.

Jenny was immediately sorry. Leonard was understandably worried and exhausted, he felt responsible and helpless, and the thought of having to put her at danger in order to save a few hundred other lives certainly freaked him out.

“If you give too much blood too fast,” the doctor continued, his voice losing its sharp edge when he saw the sincere apology in her eyes, “you’ll go into shock, and then, heart attack, stroke, organ failure, brain damage, take your pick.”

“I see,” she murmured, lifting his hand from where it was still resting on her arm and lacing their fingers together. “But we won’t let it come to that, Leonard. You can monitor me and stop anytime.”

“All right,” McCoy sighed, capitulating after a few moments’ hesitation, and squeezing her fingers, “but only a little more today, and we’ll take it slowly, okay? We’ll set the pace according to the drip.”

“Deal,” Jenny smiled, hearing Kirk exhale deeply in relief before quietly leaving the room.

McCoy made her drink a big glass of orange juice, then fastened a new bag to the drip, and sat down next to her on the bed.

“Didn’t you use some kind of stimulant for increased blood production on Spock when your operated on Sarek?” Jenny asked. “Couldn’t we try that on me, too?” 1)

“Not possible, I’m afraid,” McCoy shook his head. “That only works for copper-based blood.”

Jenny puffed out a frustrated sigh.

“I know you want to help so badly, love,” the doctor smiled, tenderly brushing her hair from her face, “but the best way to do that, is to relax and try to waste as little energy as possible. The less you move, the more blood your body can spare.”

“Got it,” she smiled back, closing her eyes and trying to relax as much as she could.

“And while you rest, I promise I’ll find a way to improve the serum to get even more dosages out of your precious blood,” McCoy whispered close to her ear, brushing a gentle kiss on her temple and then straightening back up to hold and caress her hand.

“Aren’t you needed elsewhere?” Jenny asked, starting to feel lightheaded and drowsy.

“Believe me, love,” he chuckled, continuing to draw little circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. “I can do with a little break, too.”

It was true, of course, the doctor was desperately in need of a rest. Only, she knew that, if not for her, he’d never take time for even the shortest break in a situation like this.

-x-x-x-x-x-

The next time Jenny woke up, she felt a gentle hand on her cheek. Opening her eyes, she leaned into the familiar touch and smiled at McCoy’s worried and tired face.

“How’re you doing, Sleeping Beauty?” he murmured, his affection rippling through her body like a soft breeze.

She’d never get over how his endearments made her feel, no matter how patronising or unoriginal. Only southern charm could pull that off.

“How did it go?” she asked, trying to shake off the sleepiness.

“Worked like a charm,” he smiled, glancing at the monitor above her head to check the readings.

“Everybody cured?” she enquired hopefully, but could see the answer in his eyes even before he opened his mouth again.

“Not quite yet, love,” he said, and Jenny sensed that he’d rather not told her, but didn’t want to lie to her either.

“Why did you stop?” she wanted to know, even though the reason was pretty clear.

“I had to,” McCoy simply said, tenderly cradling her face in his hand, as his eyes told her everything from the love he held for her to the grief he felt for the patients who hadn’t made it, or wouldn’t make it.

“But we’ll ask you for a little more of your blood tomorrow, love,” he continued, gently running his fingers through her hair.

“Why wait?” she asked, not caring that she sounded like a petulant child. “I don’t feel weak or anything.”

“Believe me, you would, if you were to get up and move around,” he said softly. “Promise me that you’ll move as little as possible. Your body can’t take any strain right now.��

When she just frowned at him, he chuckled, “I know you’re used to doing things fast, my little whirlwind, but even your body needs time to produce blood, you can’t just will it to work faster.”

His words were breezy and kind, but he couldn’t quite hide the fact that he, too, felt desperate and impatient, especially when he kept glancing at her readings, as if hoping to find better ones the next time he looked.

“Oh Leonard, how bad is it out there?” Jenny wanted to know, nodding towards the rest of sickbay.

“Bad enough,” he replied, “but we’re still making progress. Thanks to you.”

There were tears in his eyes now, as he leaned down and brushed a kiss on her lips.

“How many?” she asked, knowing she didn’t even have to add the word ‘dead’.

“Four now,” McCoy answered, his voice sounding choked.

“Who?” she whispered, realising that it made no difference, but needing to know, anyway.

McCoy gave her the names, and they both fell silent, each of them lost in their own memories of the departed.

Jenny knew perfectly well how devastated the doctor was by not having been able to save them, by being so helpless. But she wasn’t, she could help.

“Let’s not waste any more time, Leonard,” she said determinedly. “Draw some more blood now.”

“No way, love!” McCoy shook his head vehemently. “We can’t risk that.”

“I can,” she insisted. “How do you think I feel, lying idly around while someone else might die?”

The doctor just looked at her, a tear running down his cheek, as he silently shook his head again.

“Please, Leonard?”

Another shake of the head.

“Do you even have enough room in sickbay?” Jenny persisted, regarding the dark rings around his eyes. “You must be run off your feet by now.”

“Don’t worry about me, love,” he started to get up. “It’s my job. I’ve been through worse.”

Holding on to his hand, Jenny pleaded with him.

“Leonard, I need to do this. Please let me.”

McCoy refused to meet her eyes, still trying to pull his hand away.

“You wouldn’t hesitate to do it yourself, if you could,” she murmured.

“But I’m a doctor,” he protested. “I took an oath.”

“And I’m your partner,” Jenny said emphatically, feeling that was reason enough. “How much more do we need?”

“No one’s going to die while you’re regaining your strength, Jenny,” McCoy tried to avoid answering her question.

“You can’t promise that, Leonard,” she said softly, “and you know that I know.”

That, at least, brought a little smile to McCoy’s face.

“So, how much more?”

“250 ml,” he finally told her.

“But that’s really not that much, is it?”

“It wouldn’t be, if you hadn’t already donated so much. Jenny,” the doctor lifted his hands imploringly, “your body has reached its limits. You need to accept that. We all do.”

“You’ve just said it. It’s my body. My decision.”

Jenny just couldn’t give up. Not now that they were so close. They couldn’t fail because of a mere 250 ml.

“But your health is my responsibility, and I can’t let you risk your life like that. I love you, Jenny” the doctor said quietly, his sad eyes affecting her far more than his anger ever could. “Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“That’s not fair,” she whispered, feeling immensely tired and close to tears. “You know that it does.”

McCoy looked at her for a long moment, then sat back down and took a deep breath.

“All right, love,” he sighed, “let’s do this. But I’m not leaving your side. And when I say enough, we’re done. No argument.”

“I promise!” she smiled, settling back comfortably and watching him cross the room to shut the door.

Then he gestured for her to move a little to the side, sat down alongside her on the bed with his back resting against the wall, wrapped one arm around her, and pulled her head against his chest.

“You just rest, and I’ll be watching over you, love,” he murmured, tenderly kissing the top of her head.

Jenny drifted in and out of sleep, relishing the doctor’s warm embrace and the gentle caress of his hand, as he softly talked to her about anything that came to mind.

A sudden commotion outside, thumping noises and shouting, startled her wide awake again, and McCoy bolted out of the room to deal with whatever had just happened in sickbay.

Heaving a sigh, Jenny closed her eyes again, feeling increasingly nauseous and drained in every sense of the word. The monitor above her emitted a low beep, signalling that one of the parameters McCoy had set for her had dropped below the limit.

Checking the readings on the second little monitor by her side, she saw that the amount of blood still needed, was down to 5 ml. A ridiculously small quantity. Surely she could hold out that much longer.

Taking advantage of the fact that McCoy was still distracted outside, Jenny sat up and reset the parameters. Good thing she’d worked in sickbay for a year and had also learned a few tricks from Scotty. She wasn’t really feeling sick or anything. Four more millilitres wouldn’t kill her. And Leonard would finally have enough serum for everyone.

Lying back down, she kept her eyes on the monitor.

Three more millilitres.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she found herself at the beach with Leonard, splashing around in the shallow water, their cool, wet bodies sliding against each other.

Two.

She was in the middle of a beautiful meadow, running around, hand in hand with Leonard, chasing a butterfly.

One.

Leonard’s face was close to hers, as they danced to a Faith Hill and Tim McGraw duet. Their arms tightly wrapped around each other, she tilted her face up towards his, moulding herself against him, as his soft lips finally found hers.

-x-x-x-x-x-

When the flatline alarm sounded throughout sickbay, McCoy was gripped by terror like he’d never been before and stormed back into Hope’s room, almost crazy with fear. For a long, horrible moment, staring at Hope’s small form lying there on the biobed, completely still and white like a sheet, lips curled in a peaceful smile, the only thought his panicking brain could come up with was ‘Sleeping Beauty’.

Then his medical mind finally kicked in.

1) Reference to the TOS episode “Journey to Babel”

-x-x-x-x-x-

Continue to: Chapters 31-35 Chapters 36-40 Chapters 41-45 Chapters 46-50 Chapters 51-55 Chapters 56-60 Chapters 61-65 Chapters 66-70 Chapter 71

Go back to: Chapters 1-5 Chapters 6-10 Chapters 11-15 Chapters 16-20 Chapters 21-25

Or read it on AO3: Another Life

************ Disclaimer: Nothing of or associated with Star Trek is mine – it all belongs to Paramount / ViacomCBS (or whoever else is currently holding the rights). This is a work of fanfiction, no infringement intended.

8 notes · View notes