The Alternative Factor:

My Way

A/N: Since I hated the way this episode ended, I've decided to re-write it. So here it is: The Alternative Factor, My Way! (Nobody flame me for this...)

PS: (AKA A/N #2) Since I liked the episode for the most part, except for the end, and I really didn't want to write the whole thing again, I've decided to create my own character and tel it from her point of view.

Now, for the real story!

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"Ow!" I yelped, and glared at Dr. McCoy, who put away his Poker of Death(AKA a huge needle) and gathered a small spot of blood from the tip of my finger. "Doctor, is this really necessary?"

"Sorry, Lieutenant Peters, it is. I have to check the iron levels in your blood and see if you're getting enough oxygen. There, done." (A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, that tri-corder had do just about anything, but still.)

A team of redshirts rushed in, carrying a stretcher with a limp form on it. I caught a glimpse of curly brown hair, then I was ushered out by Dr. McCoy, who very politely and firmly told me that "I need to do my job and no offense, but you'd just be in the way."

I left with a smile on my face. Going back to the engine room, I glanced down at myself. Since I was an engineer and frequently got dirty, I wore a red shirt and black pants like Scotty, my uncle. I was one of the very few women on the Enterprise who didn't wear a dress. The Captain had granted me permission to wear pants because of my position and job.

I reached the engine room and walked in. "Good afternoon, Lassie. How'd your physical go?" Scotty grinned at me.

I made a face. "It went all right, but I was released rather abruptly because of someone I don't think works on the ship."

"Aye, his name is Lazarus. He fell off a huge rock and was knocked out."

"Oh. No wonder Doc was so worried." I went to my post and did a reading of the ship's engines. It never hurt to be careful.

Later that day, I walked back to the Infirmary. "Doc?" I asked, rapping on a door frame. "You there?"

"Hello, Karrah. Need something?" Dr. McCoy appeared, wiping his hands on a towel."

I shook my head. "No, not really, I just wanted to see the sickie. May I?"

Dr. McCoy grinned. "You may. He's sleeping, so don't make a lot of noise."

I rolled my eyes. "You know me, Doc, I'm quiet as a mouse."

"Yeah, I know, but I have to say that. Regulations, doncha know." I smiled and shook my head at him. "Here he is. Lazarus. I don't know if he has a last name or not."

I scrutinized Lazarus carefully. He was tall, with curly brown hair and a strange-looking beard. I raised my eyebrows at the facial hair. Suddenly, Lazarus opened his eyes. They were blue, with a slightly insane look in them. I jumped back, and McCoy sent him back to Dreamland with a hypo. I noticed a long cut above Lazarus' right eyebrow.

"Sorry about that, lieutenant," McCoy said. "He wasn't supposed to wake up for a good long time yet."

I shrugged. "No big deal. I have to go now, Uncle Scotty only gave me ten minutes break from my duties."

An hour or so later, I was walking down the hall reading a printout. I bumped into someone heading in the opposite direction, and looked up to see Lazarus. "Sorry!" I said hastily, then did a double take. There was no cut above his eyebrow anymore!

"No matter, Lazarus said smoothly with a smile. "It was my fault entirely." I almost raised an eyebrow but didn't. This man seemed different from the insane in the infirmary.

I stuck out a hand, instead. "I'm Lieutenant Karrah Peters. You must be Lazarus."

"Yes, how did you know?" Lazarus sounded curious.

"Well, I didn't recognize you, you're not wearing a uniform and besides, you're the talk of the ship. But I thought you had a-never mind." An intercom message for me made me jump. "I gotta go. It was nice meeting you!" I said as I hurried off.

"It was nice to meet you, too," Lazarus said. I thought about him all the way to the engine room. He was handsome, not to mention nice. I blushed and banished the thought. Still, he was good-looking, I had to admit. He just seemed different from in the infirmary. I dismissed all thought of Lazarus as I entered the engine room. I ran a diagnostic of something, like the Captain had asked, and sent it to him.

Then, as I was going to lunch, I saw Lazarus again. He didn't seem to recognize me, and that cut was back! He was hurrying somewhere, and I thought about following him but decided against it. I ate quickly, still pondering Lazarus.

Something a little more scary happened later in the day. I was working in the airs haft when the Flux Regulator (lame, I know) suddenly fixed itself, sending a hard burst of air at me and blowing me out the edge. I screamed. Wouldn't you have done the same thing in my position? Anyway, I shot out the mouth of the shaft and landed, unscathed, on top of someone. They "oof"ed as I fell on them, but I didn't think they were hurt.

I sat up, and the man I'd landed on did the same. I put my hands over my mouth. It was Lazarus, and that confounded cut was gone again!

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" I said. "You see, the Flux Regulator fixed itself and blew me right out of the vent! Did I hurt you?" I asked as Lazarus stood and helped me up.

"No, I'm fine. I'm glad I broke your fall, it's a long way. You hurt?" It was sweet that he was worried about me.

"I'm fine as well, thanks."

We were standing in the corridor, as if having a conversation instead of me landing on him as he passed underneath.

Suddenly, Lazarus got a funny look on his face and excused himself, hurrying off. I looked after him and shrugged. It was only as I was walking back to the engine room that I realized I'd fallen in love with Lazarus. I made a face. Not good. Not good at all. This was bound to end badly.

Scotty rushed out to meet me as I got to the door of the engine room. "Lassie, the ship says you fell from air shaft four! Are you all right?"

I hugged him. "I'm fine, Uncle Scot. Someone broke my fall. Now, what do you need me to do?" Scotty put me to work fixing the transporter, which was acting up again, and I was there when Lazarus rushed in and beamed himself down in a hurry. I blinked at the space he'd occupied. The cut had been back! I sighed. I must be going space happy, I told myself.

I was still there five minutes later when the Captain and a bunch of others beamed down. I went with them, after asking permission from the Captain. I also went along with Capt. Kirk when he went to Lazarus 2, the Lazarus I was in love with. I listened with interest as he explained the situation him and Lazarus 1 were in, and nearly lost it when he suggested the only way to stop #1. We beamed back to the ship, and I was there when the phaser banks blew up the machine the Lazarus' had been using.

I cried in the infirmary as I explained everything to Dr. McCoy, who was sympathetic to my pain. He sent me to my room with strict orders for a two day rest/recuperation, and that's where I stayed.

After crying myself to sleep, I slept soundly. The next morning, I sat on my bed and cried some more. I stopped when I heard voices, but ignored them. I sighed. I really had to get a hold on myself. This was getting out of hand. I had duties.

Then I heard, "It's going to be a shock to her, remember that, so take it slow." The door whooshed open. "Karrah, you have a visitor," Dr. McCoy said.

"Send them in, then," I replied in a sullen voice, and kept my back to the door. Someone entered, then the door whooshed closed again. Padded footsteps crossed my room, then someone sat on the bed behind me.

"You're going to ignore me?" The voice was vaguely surprised, but a whisper. I nodded. "Why?" I shrugged. "That's a lousy reason, you know."

I just shrugged again. "So?"

The voice laughed. "Dr. McCoy said to take it slow, but I'll disregard his orders if you're going to ignore me the entire time."

I shrugged again.

"You're forcing me to desperate measures," the voice said.

I almost turned, but then decided not to and just shut my eyes instead.

"Very well," the voice said. "You've left me no choice." The body the voice belonged to eased off the bed and knelt in front of me. A hesitant hand cupped my chin, and a gentle mouth softly pushed onto mine. The voice, a man, I decided since it's body had kissed me, made a hurt noise as I pulled away and turned.

"You don't like me?" No longer a whisper, the voice was starting to sound familiar.

"I'm already in love with another man." I said "Even if he is dead," I added as an afterthought.

"Who?" The voice was back in a whisper and sounded genuinely curious.

"Lazarus," I stated very firmly, leaving no room for argument or back-talk.

"Really?" the voice, already a whisper, sounded breathless. "No one else?"

"Only Lazarus."

The voice chuckled. "Then today is your lucky day, Lieutenant Karrah Peters."

I shot off the bed in shock, but turned slowly, keeping my eyes lowered. I didn't dare to hope, but against my will, it rose in my heart slowly.

The person the voice belonged to put a hand on my back and pulled me closer to him. "Hello, Karrah," the voice whispered in my ear.

I raised my gaze to the person's face and nearly gasped. "Lazarus." I took a deep breath, not quite sure of myself. "You were dead, sort of. I saw the ship explode. How did you survive or get back from that space corridor thing?"

Lazarus chuckled again. "Death, as you say, cannot keep me from the woman I love." His mouth gently touched me again, soft and fierce. I shivered.

When he pulled away, Lazarus explained his miraculous return. "Lazarus 1 and I never really went into the space corridor. Lazarus 1 is in an insane asylum, where he's getting a mind-wipe. He should be normal from here on. I came back here to find you."

I grinned. "I'm glad you did." This time I kissed him. He was a good kisser, a little rough but not in a way that hurt. His hands were gently on my waist and the back of my neck. He'd gotten rid of the beard and looked much younger. When he pulled away, he tapped my nose playfully. Two weeks later, we got married and lived happily ever after. Not really, of course, because that only happens in fairy tales, but we got pretty close.

Even Lazarus 1 had a happy ending. He married a nurse who had taken care of him during the mind-wipe. Last I heard, they had three kids, a dog and lived on a Ranch back on Earth.

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A/N: What'd you think? Personally, I like this one better, but that's my opinion. R and R yours! (Your opinion, I mean. Even though it is a oneshot)