A/N: A look at the softer, chivalrous side of Montgomery Scott
Scotty
He liked her already—immensely. He'd seen something in the transporter room when she'd beamed aboard that brought out the fatherly—or brotherly—instincts in him. The doctor's tirade, for which she was clearly unprepared, had bothered him on an unnamable level, so much so that he had felt the need to reassure her before she followed the ship's irascible CMO out the door. By now the crew at large was used to their CMO's often unprovoked "apoplectic fits," his penchant for railing at technology, or the Brass, or emotionless Vulcans, or some convoluted mixture of all three, already infamous. Today, that personality quirk had been clearly on display, but a newly-assigned bonnie lass, especially one as nice as she seemed to be, shouldn't have to be subjected to that within two seconds of meeting her immediate superior.
He'd done his best to reassure her in those brief few moments; let her know that the ship's surgeon was all gruff and bluster on the surface only—all bark and no bite. It looked as if it had helped a little, for she appeared to be just a bit more relaxed when she'd followed McCoy out of the transporter room.
Little did he realize at the time that he'd be seeing her again in less than half an hour, with Daniels in tow. The lad was promising from an engineering standpoint, but often reckless and clumsy where safety was concerned—excitable, and a little overzealous in his efforts to get the job done. He was young, though, and his proclivity for speed over employing the correct (and safe) technique was something he was sure to outgrow with more experience and under the proper tutelage. The junior petty officer had received a nasty burn to his hand, and Chapel was there, in sickbay, when he'd taken the young man for treatment.
After McCoy had assessed the injury, it was she who cleaned and dressed the wound, all the while chatting amiably with Daniels, making the whole ordeal just a bit less traumatic for him. When Scott had stopped by the lad's quarters after shift to check on him, he found out that Chapel had been there first, minutes ago, in fact. His estimation of her increased another notch. Odds were McCoy hadn't sent her—he'd have come himself, or called Daniels back down to sickbay, if he were really concerned. She had shown up with a tray of dinner for the boy in an effort to keep him from having to brave the mess hall himself, and possibly damage the new skin she and the doctor had so carefully applied to the wound.
Upon exiting Daniel's quarters, Scotty made a mental note to visit the new head nurse later that evening, and personally thank her for being so kind and thoughtful to one of his lads.