A/N: So I kinda sorta totally ship Chekov/Jaylah (I've dubbed it Cheylah). I should be writing other things, but every time I see Beyond (or any footage of it involving either Chekov or Jaylah, really), I ship it more - his background interactions with her are golden. But I'm still figuring out a good plot line to get them together, so until then, little tidbits like this (and I will involve this ship a bit in my other fic Heartthrobs) will have to satisfy me. And you, hopefully, whether you OTP or brOTP Cheylah. Or something in between, whatever floats your boat. Jaylah is just so awesome, isn't she? As awesome as Chekov is adorable.

The alarms had died down, civilians were returning to their normal activities, Bones McCoy and Lieutenant Uhura had taken James T. and Spock for medical treatment, Lieutenant Sulu had gone to find his family, and Montgomery Scotty was off in search of food.

Jaylah just stood in Central Plaza, staring at the wreckage of her house.

She had finally escaped the planet of nightmares. A dream years in the making had been fulfilled.

But standing here, staring at the ruins of everything she'd fought for, she realized she had no idea what came next. James T.'s goal was accomplished, and Montgomery Scotty had no starship to care for. She had no supplies to scavenge, no ship to fix, nowhere to escape from. Krall and Manos and the bees were destroyed, gone forever. No enemies to fight, no revenge to be had, no day-to-day struggle for survival. Just a Federation of aliens.

She didn't know how to survive in a time of peace. Not anymore. And without her family… Who was left to teach her?

"Zere you are!"

Torn from her thoughts, she spun around, bringing up clenched fists.

A young man froze mid-step, raising his hands into the air. "Whoa zere."

Ensign Pavel Chekov.

Jaylah dropped her fists. "Sorry. I-"

He waved her off, flashing a reassuring smile. "Old habits die hard. Liwing wiz Keptin Kirk is proof of zat."

Jaylah cocked her head curiously. "How so?"

Pavel Chekov shrugged a bit, his mouth open slightly as he pondered his response. "Ze keptin… has seen some zings. He zinks we don't notice, but ze signs are obwious if you know what to look for."

"Signs?" Jaylah asked, confused.

"Ze symptoms," Pavel Chekov clarified.

"Oh."

Clearly, she still had a lot to learn about… English, Montgomery Scotty had called it.

"I ken teach you, if you want, about our world," Pavel Chekov offered, as if sensing her thoughts. "If you want to stay. Unless you just want to go back to your homeworld-"

"Stay with you?" Jaylah interrupted, hope daring to burgeon in her heart. After all the lonely years…

Pavel Chekov didn't look as if he entirely understood her shocked tone. "Of course. You sawed ze crew. You helped us. You are our friend now."

"That's our friends out there. We cannae jus' leave 'em behind."

"I am staying, Pavel Chekov," Jaylah stated firmly.

A radiant grin lit up Pavel Chekov's face. "Wonderful! Now, let's go – Meester Scott has found some Earz foods for you to try, and Hikaru ken't wait to introduce his daughter to you. Oh, and call me Pawel."

"Very well, Pawel."

"No, like at ze beginning of ze first word you said."

Jaylah chuckled, maybe her first laugh in years. "I know what you meant, Pawel."

Pawel opened and closed his mouth a few times, failed to come up with a good comeback, and turned towards the buildings. As he began to walk, launching into an excited ramble about a variety of topics, Jaylah paused, resting a hand on the Franklin's hull.

You were a good house.

Then she ran to catch up with her friend.