Ch 2: Things Look Different When You're Sick

Ensign T'Sant drummed her fingers on her desktop, eyes flitting from PADD to PADD unable to decide which task to handle next. She massaged her temples, closing her eyes. A loud thump on her desk startled her. A worn ratty copy of Grey's Anatomy lay before her. She glanced up and caught the retreating angular form of Ro Laren exiting the small office quickly. T'Sant jumped to her feet, chasing after the leggy Bajoran.

"Wait!" Ro stopped abruptly and the smaller woman, walking too fast, collided with her and fell to the ground. Ro turned and rolled her eyes seeing the untidy head shaking as T'sant righted herself and regained her feet.

"Must you accost me every time we meet?"

"I apologize, I merely wished to thank you for returning my book. I had trouble sleeping without it and I feared someone might have seen the state of it and discarded it." Ro crossed her arms and shot her a wilting glance.

"You should have replicated a new one years ago. I did not return it to assuage your sleeping habits." T'sant went rigid at the other woman's tone, her own voice losing the tinge of friendliness.

"I merely wished to convey my gratitude."

"If I find it again I will dispose of it. You should be more responsible with your affects."
T'Sant flushed, permitting herself the indignation. She hardened her gaze, rivaling that of the woman before her.

"Duly noted." She bit back a rush of anger, her Vulcan sensibilities locking over Romulan impulses, slowly regaining control. Something about the Bajoran fanned her, ignited uncontrolled yet oddly natural emotional outbursts. She did not like it, it was not logical nor pleasant; neither half approved. Ro left sickbay in a huff and T'sant was glad for her absence. Nurse Ogawa gave her a quick smile before walking over, placing a hand on her shoulder. T'Sant glanced over at her friend, frowning.

"What's got her going now?" It seemed Ro's reputation had stretched to sickbay as well.

"We had an altercation...I apologized and believed that would be the end of it. Several days after that, she came to have a wound repaired and somehow discovered my...unique genetic makeup. She apologized for being rude but it seems I had forgotten my book with her that day." She looked to the head nurse, permitting herself confusion. "It seems she came to return it. I do not understand her..." Ogawa could not help but give the tiny woman a hug. T'Sant froze in her embrace, unwilling to permit comfort. The nurse let go, sensing the tension.
"It's alright T'Sant. Ignore her. Would you like to come with me to poker this evening?" T'Sant gave her a full smile, but shook her head to decline.

"You know I am poor at cards and poorer at small talk. Thank you Alyssa, for the offer."

T'sant headed back to her small desk that she shared with the other medical Ensigns, sitting gracefully in the chair. The PADDS still waited. She sighed and pulled the closest one to her and continued to work, her thoughts on the obstinate Bajoran.

Ro Laren rolled on to her side moaning quietly to her stark, austere quarters. She pressed a long hand to her pale side, wincing at the pain, her nose ridges more pronounced. Slowly she sat up, her head and neck throbbing. Ro gritted her teeth and got to her feet, sliding long legs into stiff uniform pants she had replicated and laid out the night before. Weakness shot through her legs and nausea seized her insides.

She wretched, and fell to her knees. A moment passed before she regained her composure, her skin glistening with sweat. Minutes later, she had notified of her illness and limped her way to sickbay. Her head was swimming and her stomach lurched as she entered the room. A nurse ushered her to a biobed where she lay down, closing her eyes against the light. A shadow loomed over her.

"What seems to be the problem Ensign Ro?" T'Sant's voice was cold and distant. Ro did not have the energy for argument.

"I don't feel well..." Her voice was hoarse. She hadn't realized how much her throat hurt until she spoke. The whirring of the tricorder dug into her skull. In the distance she heard the soft sound of someone crying. She tried to sit up to look. T'Sant pushed her gently back to the biobed, administering a hypospray to her neck. Ro winced.

"What's going on?" She suddenly felt overwhelmed with exhaustion. Ro yawned deeply.

"I have administered a sedative until I can determine the cause of your illness."

Ro's eyes fluttered heavily as she mumbled, "Not what I meant..." Sleep claimed the Bajoran.

When she awoke, it was Nurse Ogawa who stood over her, a satisfied look on her face. She realized her throat was much less raw and her head no longer swam with pain. The dainty Asian woman helped her to sit up.
"You should thank Ensign T'Sant. She saw the strep patterning in the virus before we did. You'll be right as rain in a few days. Bed rest and fluids until then." She patted the Bajoran on the shoulder and slipped away. Ro sat upon the biobed until the hybrid came into view around the corner.

"Ensign T'Sant." Her voice was sharp and still a bit hoarse. The woman looked up, her face creased with sadness before smoothing into a still mask.

"I am glad to see you are feeling better. Did you need something?"

"I wanted to thank you for your efforts."

"Your condition was not life threatening nor contagious. Thanks is not necessary." Ro's lips twitched involuntarily into a small smile. The gesture was gone before it could grow.

"Who was crying earlier? What happened?"

"There was an accident in engineering, one crewman did not survive." T'Sant's eyes crinkled in mourning once more. Ro found the expression strange.

"Were you close to them?"

"I was not." T'Sant resumed her flat tone, running a tricorder over the Bajoran. "Why?"

"I have never seen a Vulcan show sadness before...I just assumed."

"I am only half-Vulcan. However my propensity to show emotion is not a result of failure to

control my Romulan impulses. In fact it is just the opposite." T'Sant finished her scan.

"Enlighten me."

"This incident is insignificant to me. However, I find humans tend to take comfort in a face that reflects their mourning. I permit myself to grieve if only for the benefit of my patient's family in a time of loss. I am well rehearsed on all Federation species death rituals and many non-Federation as well." Ro idly noticed the woman's slight mispronunciation of the word human - 'hew-mon.' "I find, as a doctor, it is proper for me to be sympathetic to a grieving family."

"You cry with them?"

"I do not."

"You just said..."

"I have shed tears only twice in my lifetime. This death is not enough to purge my Vulcan training."

"What happened? To make you cry?" Ro blurted out the questions before thinking, her brain still fuzzy with medication.

"That is a story for another time. I must assist Dr. Crusher with the funeral preperations. If you wish to hear it..." T'sant hesitated, biting her lip thoughtfully. "Come to my quarters for tea. Around 20:00." Ro contemplated declining immediately before she noticed she was sitting alone. She muttered under her breath, curiosity overriding her want to keep to herself. She glanced up and saw Nurse Ogawa watching her, a bright smile on her face.

"You should go," she said softly. Ro stiffened, irked they had been overheard.

"It is my choice how to spend my free time," she answered bitterly. Ogawa shrugged.

"Of course it is."

Ro stood outside the door to T'Sant's quarters, unmoving, hand partially lifted to knock. She was glad for the empty corridor; she must look absurd. Indecision kept her immobile. If she did not knock, if she walked away, the hybrid would move on and make other friends. If she did knock...
Knocking meant lowering a wall. Knocking meant allowing herself to be approached. Knocking meant change, something the Bajoran thought she could do without. She breathed deeply once, then twice before rapping her knuckles hard on the door.

A few moments passed before the small woman answered the door, dressed comfortably in dark slacks and a colorful shirt made all the more vibrant by her bronze skin, black hair and eyes. Ro stared for a moment, surprised by her choice of attire, feeling a bit conscious of her own muted grey trousers and black long sleeved shirt. She noticed the woman was barefoot, admiring her elegant feet. T'Sant gave her a warm smile before stepping aside, allowing Ro access to her domicile.

"I apologize about the clutter, I did not have as much time to tidy as I had anticipated." Ro looked around the cozy room; there was little furniture, a short couch, a small chair and table. What surprised Ro the most was that everywhere there were piles of neatly folded and sorted clothes. Each stack was tidy and coordinated with the stacks around it.

T'Sant shifted two small stacks of scarves to make a seat for her guest. Ro kept her comments to herself, certain there was a story behind the enormous wardrobe. The little hybrid disappeared to retrieve the tea, offering Ro a large red mug when she returned. The Bajoran took the hot cup gingerly, blowing to cool the liquid. A few moments passed before either of them spoke.

"You wanted to tell me something?" Ro sipped gently from her cup, happy the tea helped soothe her throat. T'Sant moved closer, perching upon the arm of the couch, chin resting in her hand.

"I am not sure where to begin." The woman's eyes glazed over, searching for a memory. Ro leaned back against the plush couch, trying to get comfortable.

"I've always found the beginning is a good place to start." Ro felt comfortable enough to joke. T'Sant smiled, closing her eyes as if savoring the action like a fine wine. Ro felt certain the woman had almost laughed but thought better of it.

"You wished to know of the times I wept..." T'Sant looked into her teacup. Ro nodded quietly, the room suddenly taking a somber tone. "I suppose the beginning is the best place to start."

End Ch 2.

A/N Sorry about the shortness of this chapter, I really wanted to move on with this part of the fic but I didn't wanna drag this part out any longer. The next chapter will be nice and juicy long I assure you. Promise the steamy stuff will start happening soon.