Title: Tear Drops On A Rose

Summary: [Chekov/Sulu slash]. When the Enterprise is thrown into chaos and assailants are sent specifically after certain crew members to kill them, of which Chekov is one, will Sulu be able to get to the ensign in time to save him.

Disclaimer: I do not own and never will.

Warning: Slash, don't like don't read. This one is also very dark. Do not complain because you have been warned!

A/N: I was in town with a couple of close friends and one of them called me sad for watching Star Trek. I thought it was hilarious because it was all over the top with him, but after he went out and brought me a Scotty figurine!! So now I'm going to go and buy a Chekov figurine and a Sulu figurine and put them on my bookshelf next to Scotty and dub them 'Team Awesome'!

Maybe he is right - maybe I am sad.

Anyway - I hope you like the story and find my trivia some what amusing.

***

Chekov laid daydreaming about Sulu on his bed. A delicate smile touched his lips as he sighed, content with everything that was happening in his life. He had a great job; a boyfriend who loved him; great friends and all the adventure he could ever want. He never thought that he would be lucky enough to have any of that happen to him and when he admitted this to Sulu, the lieutenant would have none of it. Sulu told him that he was his world and would not hear anything that had to do with Chekov not deserving anything that he had. Sulu told him that he only wished that he could give him more.

Chekov smiled with the memory. Sulu always gave him more attention then he ever needed, but Chekov never complained. He liked the additional attention.

He was drifting off into a peaceful slumber when someone started to call his name and bang on the door. Chekov yawned widely as he swung his legs off his bed. He really couldn't think of who it could be; he was expecting no one and Sulu already had freedom of access. Running a hand threw his hair, he walked to the door and opened it. Two men were stood in Star Fleet uniform but something struck Chekov as odd.

He stared at them wide eyed, terrified on an instinctive level.

-

Sulu sat at his station on the bridge, wondering what in the world was happening to make so many lights on his console flash. He had informed the captain moments before and now Kirk stood looking over his shoulder. Spock also stood looking over his other shoulder whilst all three tried to work out what was happening.

"Spock?" Kirk asked hoping for an answer.

"It is a most illogical occurrence." Spock replied, not making Kirk feel any better. "Unless it is an organised attempt at sabotaging the ship."

"What?!" Kirk nearly shouted. "That's the most logical explanation there is as to what's going on?"

"Yes Captain." Spock finalized.

"Captain, I have a bad feeling about this." Sulu said as he watched more lights begin to flicker on his panel.

"Put the whole ship on high alert now." Kirk ordered. "What area of the ship are most of the flashing lights representing?"

"Engineering." Sulu answered. Kirk went back to his captains chair and contacted security; ordering them to engineering fully armed. He then tried to contact Scotty who he knew was down there, but when he received no answer he knew that what ever was happening, engineering was a good place to start. He was also fearful for Scotty's life.

"Mr Sulu. What warp are we currently at?" Kirk asked.

"Warp 5 captain." Sulu replied.

"Alert me to any changes in Warp speed Mr Sulu." Kirk ordered.

"Aye captain." Sulu acknowledged.

Before Kirk could issue any more orders, the lift door opened and a red shirt ensign stood in it, face drained of colour and his hands covered in blood. Members of the bridge stopped and looked at him, Kirk and Sulu included. "Captain." The ensign muttered before he started to sway on his feet. After a few seconds the ensign's legs gave way and the young man went crashing to the floor.

-

One of the assailants clamped his hand over Chekov's mouth while his other arm shot around Chekov's chest, pinning his arms to his side. Exhibiting enormous amount of strength, the assailant lifted Chekov of the ground and carried him back into his quarters. The second assailant followed them inside, his eyes scanning the corridor for anyone who had just witnessed what had happened. Chekov tried to cry out but found himself unable. He struggled against his captors and received a hard punch to his head. Chekov's head snapped back before rolling to the side as he barely held on to consciousness, his body falling limp in the assailant's arms.

-

The red shirt ensign fell out of the lift, his hand still pressed hard against his chest while blood spilled from the wound. "Spies." He gasped. "Taking out *gasp* certain crewmen." Kirk and Spock raced to the young mans side, dragging him clear of the lift and laid him down on his back. Kirk removed the ensign's hands from the wound so he and Spock could see it before clamping his own hands over it. He could feel the warm red liquid on his hands as it seeped between his fingers and coated his hands red. The ensign tried to speak again and shook off Kirk's and Spock's attempts to silence him. "Certain crew *gasp* targeted. Delainey is dead." Kirk flinched with the news of his friends demise. "Reilly dead; Harris missing..."

"Ensign!" Kirk shouted trying to keep the young man talking. "Someone get McCoy up here."

"We're trying captain; no one is answering." Someone answered just before a console on the bridge exploded.

"Chaos ... all over ship." The ensign continued. "Navigator ... also targeted." Sulu jumped up from his seat with the last statement and raced to the ensign's side.

"You mean Chekov? Pavel Chekov?" He asked, waves of panic surging threw him.

"Captain, security have placed six men under arrest in engineering and Mr Scott is being taken to the medical bay." Uhura's voice cut across the bridge, bringing a little bit of relief to some.

"Yes." The ensign confirmed Sulu's question.

"Repairs beginning in engineering." Uhura finished.

"They are after him." The ensign said in one breathe. "He is ... not safe. They will kill him"

Sulu's eyes widened in horror.

-

The assailant threw Chekov on to his bed. The young Russian laid sprawled out whilst muttering incoherently in his native language. One of the assailants took Chekov's arms and pinned them to the bed above his head while the second assailant lent over Chekov, his fingers tracing Chekov's jaw before gripping it hard and snapping Chekov's head around to face him. Chekov's eyes opened as the assailant above him struck him with an open palm around his cheek. He didn't understand anything that was happening around him, the blow he suffered to the head giving him severe concussion, but he sensed instinctively that something was wrong. The only thing that was registering clearly in his mind was his want for Hikaru Sulu. Sulu made everything okay and put Chekov's nerves at rest, even in the most tight and serious of situations. Chekov knew something was wrong, and his mind cried out for Sulu to make it right.

Chekov was suffering from blurred double vision and was having trouble focusing his attention on any one thing. The assailant above him wanted his attention focused on him, but when Chekov couldn't give him what he wanted he struck Chekov hard again. Chekov's mind was a pea soup and a sudden tearfulness over whelmed him. Nothing was making any sense to him and the question 'where is Sulu?' kept repeating itself over and over.

He couldn't even remember who Hikaru Sulu was.

_

Kirk looked directly at Sulu with wide eyes. "Go." He breathed. "The bridge is back under our control - GO!!"

"Thank you captain." Sulu said before racing off the bridge, cursing the lift for not travelling to the level he needed faster. Kirk watched him leave the bridge and feared the worse. He knew about what Chekov and Sulu had together, and because it made both of them happy, it made him happy. He couldn't bring himself to think though about what one of them would be like to loose the other. What they had together was strong and durable; it was a pure love; both of them willing to sacrifice their life for the other without a second thought. Self sacrifice was rare in relationships, but when he thought about it, he had never seen two such unlikely people fall head over heels for each other like Chekov and Sulu had done. It brought a smile to his lips to know that for both of them, what they had was true love.

Kirk turned his attention back to the ensign dying on his bridge. There was blood now in the ensign's mouth.

"Still no response from medical bay captain." The same person as before answered his unvoiced question.

"It is only logical to assume that the medical bay is inundated with casualties captain." Spock said.

Kirk watched the light in the ensign's eyes dim as he slipped into unconsciousness and died.

-

Tears were streaming down Chekov's face, the assailants enjoying every moment of his torment, his confusion and emotional anguish feeding their behaviour. Chekov started to slur the name 'Sulu' over and over, making the assailants laugh deep throaty laughs. The assailant above Chekov produced a knife.

-

Sulu darted out of the lift and sprinted off down the corridor, his imagination going into overdrive and producing images he would have liked never to have seen at all; all involving Chekov laid dead in a pool of his own blood.

Sulu sprinted as fast as he legs would carry him down the corridor; an image of Chekov's broken body at the front of his thoughts. 'Please don't let me be too late', Sulu thought to himself. He silently prayed that nothing had happened to Chekov, that he had foreseen what was coming and locked himself in his quarters. "Please let my Pasha be okay." Sulu breathed as he continued to run, his lungs burning. "Please let my Pasha be okay."

-

The knife's blade danced across Chekov's uniform that covered his stomach and chest, the assailant occasionally nicking the fibres and the smooth skin beneath it to make Chekov groan. Intentionally the nicks into Chekov's uniform and skin deepened, each inflicted wound drawing a pool of crimson red blood. Chekov's wrists were bruising deeply while his eyes continued to roll. He screamed out in agony as the assailant plunged the knife deep into his side. What little colour that was left in Chekov's face drained away leaving him strongly resembling a ghost. He continued to groan after the assailant retrieved the knife from his side, blood soaking the side of his uniform. The assailant plunged the knife into Chekov's stomach making him cry out again. Warm blood covered his smooth skin on his stomach and saturated his uniform. The blood saturating Chekov's gold uniform from both wounds joined together, turning half of his uniform red.

Chekov's eyes were beginning to become too heavy to keep open as a black abyss opened in front of him, beckoning to him to jump in and be at peace.

His vision began faded out.

_

Sulu heard Chekov's agony filled scream from the corridor. Knowing that who ever was attacking Chekov in his quarters would have enough brains to secure the door so they would not be disturbed, Sulu ran to his own quarters and darted threw the bathroom that he and Chekov shared and surprised the two assailants as he appeared in the same room, anger etched into ever fiber of his being. The assailant who possessed the knife leapt off the top of Chekov and went at Sulu with it raised and ready to strike.

As the assailant sent the knife tearing threw the air at Sulu, Sulu side stepped and struck him with a quick, powerful blow that knocked the assailant unconscious. The assailant fell down dead to the world at his feet, the knife flying from his hand. As the second assailant jumped up ready to attack him, Sulu swiped the knife from the floor and placed it in the back of his belt to prevent the second assailant getting his hands on it. The second assailant flew at him with clenched fists and Sulu met him with his own. Sulu took a hard powerful punch to his shoulder after narrowly missing one to his nose. Sulu ended the fight quickly by landing a solid punch between the assailant's eyes. The assailant dropped down unconscious at his feet but Sulu took no notice. He stepped over him and quickly moved to Chekov's side.

Sulu's eyes drank in Chekov's appearance. His ashen complexion, the blue discolouration to his lips and the dark circles around his eyes. Sulu dropped to his knees next to Chekov, fearing that he was too late to save him. He took Chekov's hand in his own and held it tight, horrified at how cold it felt. "Chekov?" Sulu whispered.

Chekov gave a low groan, Sulu's voice cutting through the dense pea soup in his mind and making a connection with him. With the very little energy he had left, Chekov groaned again and Sulu's hands shot to his face. Chekov didn't understand why he suddenly felt save. He couldn't make sense of the words being spoken to him, but the voice that was speaking them, there was something about it that reasured him.

"Pavel!" Sulu shouted, desperate to see Chekov's eyes. Chekov blinked several times but failed to open them fully. Sulu took a quick look over the injuries that Chekov had before deciding that the best chance that the Russian had was for him to carry him to the medical bay. Usually he would have called for help and waited, but he knew with the amount of casulities around the ship that McCoy wouldn't be leaving the medical bay anytime soon.

Deciding that moving Chekov was the only way to help him, Sulu pulled the young Russian into his arms lifted him from the bed; carrying him as though a small child. Medical bay was the only thing on Sulu's mind from that point on. That and Chekov staying alive long enough to reach it. Sulu moved as fast as he could, dodging all crew members, injured or not in his bid to save his best friend and lover.

Chekov started to moan again lightly in his arms. "Hush Pasha." Sulu said trying to sooth him, tightening his grip on the young Russian. Chekov's blood was transferring onto Sulu's uniform and Sulu could feel it against his skin as the blood soaked threw his shirt. Chekov's breathing became shallower and Sulu knew his time was running out fast. "Hold on Pasha; hold on."

Sulu charged into the medical bay. "Dr McCoy!" He shouted not wanting anyone else to try to save his Pavel. McCoy was the best on the Enterprise and at that time Chekov needed to best if he had any chance of surviving. "Dr McCoy!" He shouted again in desperation.

McCoy appeared next to him; the look of thunder he was sporting moments before turned into determination as he took Chekov from Sulu and hurried away with him. Sulu wanted nothing more than to follow and to be with Chekov to make sure that he was alright, but he also knew that not only would McCoy not allow him to, but he would also get in the way. He suddenly felt at a lost at what to do. Chekov's fate had now been taken out of his hands and all he could do was wait and hope. Sulu got nurse Chapel to check his shoulder out from the fight in an attempt to pass a few minutes before sitting down on the floor in the corner and watching as more casualties pile in and crew members who had been treated leave. Sulu sighed heavily, silently praying.

***

Kirk raced down the corridor to Chekov's quarters, fully expecting to see Chekov laid dead in a pool of his own blood. With his heart in his mouth, he stopped dead in front of Chekov's quarters to find not only was the door open, but the two assailants who had forced their way into Chekov's quarters were out cold sprawled across the floor. Stepping into the room, he looked past them both and saw blood on Chekov's bed. He looked around the room half expecting to see Chekov's cold dead body somewhere, propped up against a wall or thrown into a corner out of sight somewhere.

"Sulu's been here." Kirk muttered relieved not to find Chekov dead. He contacted security and told them to place the two unconscious assailants under arrest before racing off towards medical bay. Kirk knew Sulu enough to know that he would go for the best chance Chekov would have, and judging by the blood, McCoy was now his best chance.

Kirk raced to the medical bay. He burst threw the door and made such an entrance that in any other situation McCoy would have ordered a full physical to teach him a lesson; but in this instance McCoy wasn't present to give him the infamous glare and punishment. Kirk supposed he should have been grateful for the doctors attention being distracted from him, but there were much more pressing issues at the forefront of his mind. He scanned the medical bay for the lieutenant and found him sat in a corner, his head lowered and his whole body screaming exhaustion. Kirk walked over and sat on the ground next to Sulu but didn't try to put an arm around him in comfort. He knew Sulu enough to know that was exactly what he didn't want.

They sat in silence, neither one talking to the other but instead taking comfort from the others presence. McCoy approached them and was stood before them before either man knew he was there. No words were needed, Sulu could read everything he needed to know from McCoy's expression. Chekov was alive, but his condition meant it could go either way.

It was now a waiting game.

Sulu rose to his feet and ignoring his exhaustion, followed McCoy to where Chekov was. Sulu's legs worked on automatic pilot as he walked to Chekov's side. Sulu brushed his fingers lightly down Chekov's grey cheek. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before sitting down next to the bed, making himself as comfy as possible.

Sulu took Chekov's hand in his own, clutching it tightly before raising it to his face and kissing it lightly. "Pasha?" His voice barely a whisper. "Pasha? Can you hear me? Wake up. Please wake up." Chekov's eyes remained closed. "Pasha." Sulu could feel tears welling up in his eyes but tried not to show them. Kirk moved so he was stood behind him; placing a hand delicatly on Sulu's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. A single tear fell and rolled silently down Sulu's cheek. "Pasha?" His voice threatened to break.

Kirk's eyes drifted up Chekov's body. He looked lifeless, his breathing shallow and his ashen skin. He had no colour in his cheeks at all and his hair that was usually so bouncy and full of life was dull and lifeless. Kirk shuddered at the sight of the nearly dead ensign; praying that Chekov could still pull back.

After a short while Sulu drifted off into an uneasy sleep, his head resting on his arms which were crossed on Chekov's bed. Kirk checked up on the bridge and when reassured that all was fine by Spock, he settled himself down on a chair in the corner and drifted off to sleep himself whilst trying to act guardian over his ensign and lieutenant.

After a few hours Sulu woke up, but sleep still fogged his mind. He sighed, fatigue acting on his mind and all his limbs.

"Hikaru?" Chekov mumbled, his eyes still closed.

"I'm here Pasha." Sulu said as he fought off his fatigue till a later time and grabbed his lovers hand. He lent over and lightly brushed a hand threw Chekov's hair. Chekov opened his eyes and Sulu felt a fresh wave of tears threatening to consume him; this time though they were out of joy of seeing his Pasha alive.

"Hikaru?" Chekov repeated as his eye sight was coming back into focus. "Hikaru." Chekov breathed and since he was no longer suffering from concussion he recognised the helmsman.

"Pavel." Sulu smiled at him. "How do you feel?"

"Wery tired." Chekov yawned. "Drugged. Pain."

"The pain will pass Pavel." Sulu assured him. "I hate to see you like this."

The confession struck a nerve in Chekov and his eyes filled with tears. Sulu placed his warm hand on Chekov's cold arm, his eyes dropping from the Russian's. Sulu lent in and pressed his lips to Chekov's. Chekov weakly raised an arm and wrapped it around Sulu's shoulders. Sulu expressed everything to Chekov threw the kiss, his fear, his despair, his joy to have Chekov awake and his longing to have the young Russian healthy and back in his arms once more. Chekov expressed his gratitude to Sulu for being there when he woke up as well as his fear and pain. Tears cascaded down both their faces as they fought back sobs when they broke the kiss and look deeply into each others eyes.

Kirk was watching everything nearby after silencing McCoy who he physically stopped from marching in on them. He watched how much raw emotion went into the kiss and felt over whelmed with joy that Chekov was seemingly turning a corner and making a recovery. McCoy stood and watched next to him, and by the silence Kirk knew that he also saw the raw emotions expressed. It brought a lump to his throat to think that they nearly lost each other.

"Give them some time." Kirk whispered to McCoy. McCoy looked like he was about to argue but when he looked from kirk to Chekov and Sulu, his shoulders sagged and he sighed.

"Ten minutes." He said before going to check on some of his other patients.

'Ten minutes will be perfect', Kirk thought to himself as he took his cue and left.

***

Chekov stood trembling in his quarters. What happened to him was still surrounded in thick fog; but that did not stop his fear over what had taken place happening to him again. Every small noise put him on edge. He felt unsafe and alone as he stood and looked around the room. The bed had been stripped, but the blood stains that still remained showed him how much blood he really had lost; it showed him how close he had come to death and being parted from his dear Hikaru.

Suddenly he felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around his hips. The arms pulled him close and kept him safe in the warm embrace. "Hikaru." Chekov whispered.

"Pavel." Sulu whispered as he pressed a small kiss to Chekov's neck. Chekov turned in the embrace so he was facing Sulu. Wrapping his arms around Sulu's waist, Chekov rested his head on Sulu's shoulder, relieved that he was no longer alone.

"I do not vant to be alone." Chekov told Sulu. Sulu tightened the embrace slightly. He could feel the bandages that encircled Chekov's mid-section beneath his new gold coloured uniform.

"My quarters are your quarters." Sulu told him.

"I do not deserwe you." Chekov said looking into Sulu's eyes.

"How many times must we have this conversation Pasha." Sulu smiled at him. "You are my world, and I would not have it any other way."

End.