Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

The floor beneath her shook violently and she had to hold on to a console to regain her balance. Sulu was in the chair beside her, in his usual navigator's position. Spock, at the science station across the bridge, turned, presumably to inform the captain about the tremors that were rocking the ship. However, though his lips were moving, she couldn't hear a single word coming out of his mouth. The entire bridge was silent. She could see lights blinking and she felt the ship rock again. She even saw Sulu turn slightly to address Kirk, but again, no sound came out. Another wave must have been coming in, because everyone clutched tight to something.

Like she was moving through water, Kes walked forward to get in front of Sulu at his station. She shoved him out of the chair and away from the console. She knew he was in danger if he stayed at the helm for a few seconds longer.

But a sharp tingling sensation itched at the tip of her fingers and started to spread up her arm. Then a blast of sensation so painful she almost cried out surged through her body. As the pain reached her torso, she felt her heart race quickly, and then, pulse by pulse, it slowed to a halt.

She had been electrocuted.

As the piercing pain left her, she saw the bridge spin quickly upward as she collapsed on the floor. Oddly enough, she knew that she was dead, but her eyes refused to close. She was still aware of everything around her, like Scotty rushing to her side, picking her up and clutching her to his chest. She saw Kirk quickly call for help, still silent as stone. She saw Sulu join Scotty at her side. Even Uhura leapt from her chair and got as far as the captain's seat before stopping, her eyes brimming with tears. Kes felt everything: Scotty's tight embrace and soft caress, Sulu's hand in hers, the hard floor beneath her limp body.

She saw the turbolift doors open to reveal McCoy. He rushed to her, shooing Sulu away to give him room. He checked a hyprospray, and once satisfied, injected her neck.

Cordrozine.

Kirk hovered over his shoulder, his face panicked as he said something to the doctor. But McCoy watched her patiently as she blinked her eyes. She was alive, saved by McCoy's quick action. The worried looks of those around her were transformed to relief. The doctor's lips mouthed her name and softly brushed some hair from her eyes. She smiled up at him as the realization that she was alive again fully dawned in her mind. His face brightened at her smile, and his hand rested on her shoulder as he checked his hypospray.

Scotty helped her to her feet and the bridge crew returned to the task at hand. Spock turned and said something else, but McCoy was still checking his hypo. It was like slow motion when another shock wave hit the ship and the CMO injected himself with 100 doses' worth of cordrozine.

And slowly, like the dial on an old-style Earth radio, the sound that should have been in the dream came flooding back: the beeps of the consoles, the hiss of the smoke from Sulu's station, now broken, Kirk's cry when he realized his friend was in trouble, the ship as the shock wave dissipated.

McCoy jerked up, his face sweaty and pale.

"Kes, wake up! Come on, honey, don't make me shock you with anything, wake up!"

Reality came crashing down, scattering the dream like a bullet through glass. She opened her eyes and looked straight into a pair of light blue irises.

"I've been tryin' to wake you for the past five minutes, Kes. I was about to declare a medical emergency and rush you to sickbay," said McCoy, his tone laced with worry. "You were due for your shift an hour ago, and when you didn't show up, Steinburg called me."

Kes squeezed her eyes shut and tried to calm her breathing. She felt the bed sink and a hand placed to her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes.

"You look terrible," McCoy growled. "This may be nothing, but I want to be sure you're ok. Let's go to sickbay and check you out."

She nodded and tried to get up, but she was so entangled in the covers she could hardly move. Chuckling, he helped her to free herself of the web of blanket she was caught in. When they finally managed to get her free, she stumbled over to her dresser to get a uniform.

"Don't bother about getting changed. You can come back after I've checked you out."

Rubbing her eyes, Kes followed him in a half-awake state to sickbay and, at his request, sat on a biobed and laid down.

"Let's see now…everything seems normal except your serotonin levels. They're up to 40% above normal now." He looked down at her. "You said 60 was the safety maximum, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's odd, but I can't find anything wrong with you. But I gotta ask," he said, looking into her eyes. "What were you dreaming about?"

Kes frowned. She didn't want to discuss this with McCoy at the moment, but she felt like it was important that he know. So, slowly and carefully, she described the dream to him, about being electrocuted and the accident that occurred afterward.

"It didn't feel like a dream, doctor. It was almost…precognitive, I guess I should say."

McCoy's eyebrow twitched upward. "Precognitive, huh? You are full of surprises, Ensign. In any case, the captain should be informed. I'll make a report and get it to him, today if at all possible." He smiled. "Get changed and get to work, I'm sure Steinburg is worried sick about you."

Kes gave him a wry smile. "I'll do that doctor. Just promise me you'll be careful around those hypos, ok?"

McCoy laughed. "Of that you can be perfectly assured."

With one last nod and a smile, Kes left sickbay.

…

It was happening. Everything was falling into place: the noises, the tremors, the things people were saying. It all corresponded with her dream.

"The helm is sluggish," Sulu said as the ship rocked back and forth. That triggered something in Kes' memories.

"Sulu!"

She shoved him away from the console and just like in the dream, she felt the agony of the electricity as it coursed through her body. Her world spun upward again, and she ceased to feel.

"Kes!" Scotty, realizing what had happened, rushed with Sulu to support her. Her head rested in Scotty's lap until McCoy could reach the bridge. She felt her heartbeat return and she opened her eyes, straight into the CMO's eyes.

"Déjà vu," he muttered as he brushed her hair away from her face.

"Put away that hypo before someone gets hurt, doctor," Kes replied. McCoy nodded and didn't even bother to check the hypo as he put it back in his kit. Scotty and Sulu hauled Kes to her feet, but neither seemed to want to let go.

"You saved my life," Sulu muttered gratefully. Scotty sat at the helm and tried to fix the broken machinery, but every few seconds his glance would stray to her, as if he was scared she would collapse.

"Kes, I'd like to take you down to sickbay to make sure you're alright," McCoy said as the ship rocked and shook again. She nodded and followed him into the turbolift. He ordered for sickbay and the lift descended, but he stopped it after a few seconds. He turned to her.

"Kes," he said, looking first at the floor and then at her, "I just want to thank you. Not only did you save Sulu at the cost of your safety, you saved me too."

Kes smiled. "It's the least I could have done. It was my privilege to be of service today. But really," she said, her tone more serious. "I'm glad you're all right."

He turned away, smiling slightly, but his expression changed when Kes kissed his cheek. At first he was shocked, but the smile returned when he looked back at her.

"Don't give too many of those away now, or all the men on this ship will go crazy over you," he teased. "And I'll be the one mending all those broken hearts."

Kes laughed aloud. McCoy pulled the lever to make the turbolift move again, and soon they were sitting in sickbay.

"Well, darlin', you're fine. But take the day off, ok? Doctor's orders. You deserve it after what happened today."

Kes smiled and was almost out the door when she turned back to McCoy.

"I really am glad you're ok. You're one of the finest friends I've ever had, and I would hate to lose someone like you."

She swore that he was blushing, but he hid it well. His eyes softened.

"Get some rest, Ensign. I'll see you around."

And when the room was empty, he whispered after her, "I would hate to lose you too, Kes. If only you knew."